A Baltimore woman admitted to running a bribery scheme that defrauded Maryland's unemployment insurance system of more than $250,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal prosecutors said.

Natonia Johnson, 52, pleaded guilty Thursday to wire fraud charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Baltimore.

Prosecutors said Johnson worked as a contractor for the Maryland Department of Labor and used her access to the agency's internal database to manipulate unemployment claims.

She faces up to 20 years in prison and three years of supervised release when sentenced on Jan. 6, 2026.

How the scheme worked

Prosecutors said Johnson's scheme ran from June 2020 through November 2021.

At first, she helped friends, family members and strangers submit fraudulent documents and falsely claim s

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