More than one in four Virginians over 70 haven’t had their first vaccine dose yet.

Four people from Hampton Roads are facing fraud charges in connection with a scheme to obtain pandemic unemployment benefits using the personal information of 35 correctional facility inmates.

The Department of Justice’s Eastern District of Virginia said in a news release that Mary Benton, 38, of Portsmouth, Angelica Cartwright-Powers, 35, of Norfolk, and two people from Chesapeake, Michael Lee Lewis Jr., 41, and Michael Anthony White, 38, were indicted Thursday.

They used personal information of 35 Virginia prison inmates to get the money, the release said.

During the pandemic, the federal government and the Virginia Employment Commission expanded unemployment benefits by increasing the amount given to recipients.

Benefits also were expanded to include the self-employed, contractors and workers who in the past haven’t qualified. Inmates, the release said, weren’t eligible for the benefits.

According to the department, Benton and Cartwright-Powers worked with Lewis and White to collect personal information from other inmates. The information was used to fraudulently apply for Virginia unemployment benefits during the COVID19 pandemic.

“Benton allegedly submitted successful applications for Virginia unemployment benefits for 31 inmates across three Virginia correctional facilities,” the release said. “Cartwright-Powers allegedly submitted successful applications for four inmates at one correctional facility.”

The department said Lewis and White provided personal information for inmates at the Augusta Correctional Center and the Lawrenceville Correctional Center, where they were incarcerated.

Each application Benton and Cartwright-Powers submitted contained the inmates’ contact information and last employer, and that they were “ready and willing to work,” the release said.

They collected $334,667 split among the four who were indicted and the prisoners whose information was used for the unemployment applications. They initially got $436,834, but the Virginia Employment Commission was able to reclaim some of the money.

The department said the investigation was part of “Operation Checkmate,” the Virginia Department of Corrections Inmate Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force. The U.S. Secret Service’s Richmond Field Office, the Portsmouth Police Department and the Virginia Employment Commission helped with the case.

“Fraudulently exploiting COVID-19 relief funds for personal gain is unconscionable,” said Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security, in the release. “Today’s indictment sends a clear message that DHS OIG will fully investigate fraud affecting FEMA funds and continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring an end to these schemes.”

Benton is charged with one count of conspiracy, three counts of fraud in connection with major disaster benefits and three counts of mail fraud.

Cartwright-Powers is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of fraud in connection with major disaster benefits, and one count of mail fraud.

Lewis and White are each charged with one count of conspiracy and two counts of mail fraud. If convicted, they face a maximum of five years in prison on the conspiracy count and 30 years in prison on each fraud count.

The release said Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt is prosecuting the case, and an indictment “is merely an accusation.”

“The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty,” the release said.