Javier Jimenez Alvarez, 52, of Arvin, was sentenced Monday in federal court to nine years in prison. He also was ordered to pay $3,397,775 restitution for mail and wire fraud and money laundering.

According to court documents, between March 31, 2010, and March 11, 2015, Jimenez Alvarez and others submitted claims to the state Employment Development Department seeking disability payments for people not entitled to the benefits.

When Jimenez Alvarez received the disability debit cards, he would withdraw the benefits for cash. And, Jimenez Alvarez kept the flow of illicit cash going by responding to EDD requests for supplemental information with false statements.

Related Story:

U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced Jimenez Alvarez’s sentence in a news release on Monday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandre Dempsey prosecuted the case.