PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Fifteen Rhode Island residents have been charged with defrauding unemployment insurance programs tied to federal COVID-19 relief funds.

U.S. Acting Attorney Richard Myrus said Thursday the suspects fraudulently filed unemployment insurance claims in some 11 states, totaling nearly $580,000.

Prosecutors said some of the suspects were discovered because they took out large cash advances at a local casino using out-of-state unemployment benefit cards, but then left without gambling.

The case is part of a broader federal effort to crack down on COVID-19 relief fund fraud.