Oakland woman sentenced to federal prison for filing false insurance claims

SAN FRANCISCO – A judge on Monday sentenced an East Bay woman to 33 months and one day in federal prison for filing false insurance claims using stolen identities, according to prosecutors.

Kari Marie Russo, 46, of Oakland, pleaded guilty late last year to two counts of fraudulent use of an unauthorized access device, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of failure to appear, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

Starting in June 2020, Russo and her co-defendant – Steven Dunsmore, 35, also of Oakland – participated in a plot to file fraudulent insurance claims to California’s Employment Development Department using other people’s personally identifying information without their permission, according to prosecutors.

The personally identifying information included names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers.

Prosecutors said the duo received $336,545 in EDD funds.

Dunsmore pleaded guilty in February 2024 to two counts of fraudulent use of an unauthorized access device and two counts of aggravated identity theft, according to prosecutors. In June 2024, Dunsmore was sentenced to two years and one day in prison.

In addition to the prison terms, Dunsmore and Russo were ordered to pay $336,545 in restitution.