A Pa. man helped people get more than $200,000 in pandemic unemployment money. The problem? Many were in prison.

The Department of Justice seal. Read more J. Scott Applewhite / AP

by Chris Palmer Published Sept. 18, 2025, 3:34 p.m. ET

Under different circumstances, Alexander Daravina’s actions could have been viewed as noble.

Just months after COVID-19 upended the job market and international economy in 2020, Daravina, then 33, helped dozens of people apply for and receive thousands of dollars each from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program.

The problem, federal authorities said, is that he did so from a Pennsylvania state prison — and many of the beneficiaries were behind bars with him, making them ineligible for such benefits.

In all, prosecutors said, the scheme defrauded the government out of more than $200,000.

In an indictment unsealed earlier this week, prosecutors said