Prosecutors: Inmate Collected $4K in Unemployment in Jail

Connecticut prosecutors say a New Haven man accused of collecting $4,000 in unemployment benefits while in jail has been arrested.

The Hartford Courant reports that a spokesman for the state's attorney's office says Candido Rivera, also known as Candido Quiles, was charged with first-degree larceny and unemployment compensation fraud.

The arrest warrant says Rivera fraudulently collected unemployment benefits between April and August of 2013 when he was jailed in New York. To collect unemployment benefits, a claimant must be available to work.

The warrant says Rivera had his girlfriend renew by telephone his benefit claim each week.

It wasn't known Friday if he's represented by a lawyer.

Rivera was arraigned Thursday in Superior Court in New Britain and released on a promise to return to court April 7.