KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — A Knoxville woman has pleaded not guilty to federal charges accusing her of helping launder money obtained through fraudulent unemployment insurance claims during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amy Denise Fields, 62, was indicted July 28 by a federal grand jury in Chattanooga on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of money laundering.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Fields and several unnamed associates allegedly used her personal information, including her name, home address and bank accounts, to obtain unemployment insurance benefits from multiple states through fraudulent applications.
Federal prosecutors allege that after the applications were submitted, the stolen unemployment funds were electronically deposited into bank accounts opened by Fields.
Investigators say Fields then withdrew the fraudulently obtained benefits, often in cash, and deposited the money into Bitcoin ATM machines located across East Tennessee in an effort to conceal the source of the funds.
The alleged activity occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic when unemployment programs were expanded nationwide and became a target for widespread fraud schemes.
Fields appeared in federal court on Monday, August 3, where she entered a plea of not guilty. She has been released pending trial.
If convicted, Fields faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, fines of up to $500,000, and mandatory restitution.
The charges are accusations, and Fields is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Her trial is currently scheduled to begin on October 6.
