Latest In

News

After taking $237,000 in bribes, fired corrections worker collecting unemployment checks

Laurie Chapman, who has pleaded guilty to 30 counts of federal bribery charges for taking over $237,000 from Santa Fe-based Omni Roofing as a facilities manager for the Corrections Department and was later fired from a post in the Indian Affairs Department in February, has been receiving unemployment benefits since March.

Jul 31, 2020100.1K Shares2.3M Views
Laurie Chapman, who has pleaded guilty to 30 counts of federal bribery charges for taking over $237,000 from Santa Fe-based Omni Roofingas a facilities manager for the Corrections Department and was later fired from a post in the Indian Affairs Department in February, has been receiving unemployment benefits since March.
Steve Terrell has the story:
In an affidavit filed in Chapman’s case, Deputy U.S. Marshal Dave Loyer wrote, “Since her state employment ended in February 2011, I learned from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions that Defendant Chapman applied for unemployment benefits in February 2011, and has been receiving unemployment benefits weekly since March of 2011.”
After resigning as the facilities manager for the Corrections Department in May 2010, Chapman went to work for the state Indian Affairs Department, where she earned $63,124, a spokesman for Gov. Susana Martinez said after Chapman was indicted in April. She was fired from that post Feb. 23.
Normally, unemployment benefits don’t apply if you are fired for misconduct, or resign. The state’s unemployment compensation pays about $745,000 per day(down from $1 million) in benefits, and faces problems with solvency because of high unemployment. Shoring up the fund is on the agenda in the special session. But Chapman is one egregious example of someone who shouldn’t be drawing benefits.
Paula M. Graham

Paula M. Graham

Reviewer
Latest Articles
Popular Articles