URBANA – A federal grand jury has indicted a former Champaign County Board member on three counts of wire fraud.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois claimed in a news release that Titianna Ammons received unemployment insurance benefits while working for and receiving money from various entities, including as an elected representative on the Champaign County Board.
According to the office, the indictment alleges Ammons applied for and received unemployment insurance benefits from around October 24, 2020, until around September 10, 2021. Starting in January of 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, her unemployment insurance benefits included Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits that amounted to approximately $300 extra per week.
The U.S. Attorney’s office said Ammons received unemployment benefits she was not entitled to, alleging she falsely certified to the Illinois Department of Employment Security that she did not work and did not receive wages while receiving benefits.
The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois is Gregory M. Gilmore, who was appointed by President Trump in January and confirmed by the U.S. Senate last month.
Ammons is scheduled to appear in federal court in Urbana for arraignment this Thursday, June 11.
IPM News reached out to Ammons for comment but has not yet received a response.