Nicholas Colarusso Sentenced for Unemployment Fraud

Concord, NH - Attorney General John M. Formella and Department of Employment Security Commissioner Richard J. Lavers announce that the Rockingham County Superior Court has sentenced Nicholas Colarusso, age 37, after his pleas of guilty to Unemployment Fraud and Attempted Unemployment Fraud.

Between April 2020 and April 2021, Mr. Colarusso submitted false unemployment claims to the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security by representing that he was unemployed, which was not true. In fact, Mr. Colarusso earned over $68,000.00 from his employment during this time. Mr. Colarusso's fraudulent claims caused the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security to send him over $36,000.00 in unemployment benefits, which he was not entitled to.

Mr. Colarusso pled guilty to unemployment fraud and attempted unemployment fraud and pursuant to the parties' agreement, the Court imposed a 12-month stand committed house of corrections sentence, with eleven months suspended. The Court also imposed a 1 ½ to 3-year consecutive state prison sentence, which was suspended for five years. Mr. Colarusso was also required to pay and did pay restitution in the amount of $44,132.40 to the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security. Other terms of the sentences imposed included $5000.00 in fines and penalty assessments, which were suspended for five years upon good behavior.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Department of Employment Security's Benefit Payment Control Unit and New Hampshire Department of Justice investigators. The Department of Employment Security provides unemployment benefits to eligible individuals who are unemployed through no fault of their own and investigates allegations of fraud to protect New Hampshire's Unemployment Trust Fund. The New Hampshire Department of Employment Security receives program funding and grant awards from the U.S. Department of Labor.

To report possible unemployment fraud, please call (603) 228-4019, or email the Department of Employment Security at [email protected].