UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Press Releases

DOL OIG Puts Former EDD Employee and ‘Fraudfluencer’ Behind Bars for $2.8 Million Benefits Scam

August 3, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General

LOS ANGELES — A South Bay woman was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining $2.8 million in government benefits.

Britteny Egland, a.k.a. “Britisshh,” 34 of Carson, was sentenced by United States District Judge Andre Birotte, who also ordered her to pay $2,811,265 in restitution. Egland pleaded guilty in June 2025, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

“This isn’t just a crime—it’s a deliberate and public betrayal of every hardworking American who plays by the rules. Fraud is not a trend or content; it’s theft of taxpayer dollars, and it will be prosecuted,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor. “What makes this increasingly dangerous is the growing effort by fraudsters on social media to glamorize and normalize stealing from their own communities—turning theft into entertainment and betrayal into a lifestyle. My office, working in close coordination with Vice President Vance’s White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, has zero tolerance for those who cheat the system. We will pursue these cases aggressively, seek prison sentences, and ensure real accountability.”

Egland assumed the identities of other individuals to submit online applications for government benefits, which she subsequently utilized for her own purposes. Egland also submitted government benefit applications using personal information supplied by her co-conspirators, fully aware that they were not eligible for those benefits.

While working as a contract employee for the Employment Development Department, Egland advertised her fraud services on Instagram, using handles “Britisshh” and “TheDealGoat_.” In her social media posts, Egland advertised that she could file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims, grant applications, and rent relief applications in exchange for a fee. Egland referred to herself as “TheDealGoat_” in her social media posts because she claimed she could purchase $600 worth of goods from retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Target using stolen credit card numbers, in exchange for $250.

Egland charged fees for making counterfeit documents, such as rent relief documents, lease agreements, county reward letters, layoff letters, ledgers, IRS Form W-2s, utility bills, check stubs, bank statements, doctor’s notes, and COVID-19 test results. In some instances, Egland and her co-conspirators used the counterfeit documents to trick the government into paying unjustified benefits.

“The criminal mindset hasn’t changed—only the platform has. As a retired NYPD detective, I’ve seen criminals make mistakes. Today’s ‘Fraudfluencers’ make those mistakes in high definition. They steal from taxpayers, boast about it on social media, and leave a digital footprint our investigators can follow,” Inspector General D’Esposito added.