Albany Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Fraud, Drug, and Firearm Charges

She faces a minimum prison term of two years and could be sentenced to up to $1.75 million in fines and at least three years of supervised release.

An Albany woman has admitted to fraudulently obtaining over $150,000 in pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and faces multiple charges, including drug possession and illegal firearm possession.

Niesha Goodwin, 37, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to charges of mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and drug and firearm offenses. Her sentencing is scheduled for June 12, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, Goodwin fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits between July 2020 and March 2021 by submitting applications in the names of five individuals using stolen personal information. In her plea agreement, she admitted to receiving $151,783 in fraudulent payments and agreed to repay the full amount in restitution to the New York State Department of Labor.

Goodwin also pleaded guilty to possession of a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol and crack cocaine with intent to distribute, stemming from a search of her residence in November 2022. As a convicted felon with a prior robbery conviction, Goodwin was prohibited from possessing firearms. She has agreed to forfeit the pistol and seven rounds of ammunition recovered during the investigation.

Goodwin faces a minimum prison term of two years and could be sentenced to up to $1.75 million in fines and at least three years of supervised release.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations, with support from the Albany Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew M. Paulbeck, Joseph S. Hartunian, and Joshua R. Rosenthal.