TRENTON, NJ – A former New Jersey State Museum employee has been charged with stealing more than $31,000 in unemployment benefits while working full-time for the state, according to Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability.
Investigators say Shayion Brooks, 37, of Trenton, fraudulently collected unemployment payments for 58 weeks between June 2020 and September 2021. During that period, Brooks allegedly filed false claims through the Department of Labor’s Division of Unemployment Insurance, certifying she was jobless while continuing to receive state paychecks.
Brooks faces charges of theft by unlawful taking (third degree), falsifying or tampering with public records, and false swearing (both fourth-degree offenses). Authorities say the unemployment funds were deposited into the same personal bank account where her state salary was paid.
When questioned at a tribunal hearing in July 2024, Brooks allegedly denied filing the claims, claiming she was a victim of identity theft. However, investigators say they recovered withdrawal slips bearing her signature from the account that received the payments.
Attorney General Platkin said the case underscores his office’s commitment to protecting public funds, stating, “The defendant took thousands of dollars meant for people out of work while she was being paid full time by the state.”
If convicted, Brooks faces up to five years in prison and fines totaling $25,000. The investigation was conducted by OPIA’s Corruption Bureau, with assistance from the Department of Labor under Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo.
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