Reports

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, announced the indictment of two businessmen, a certified public accountant, and four Puerto Rico-based companies for a fraudulent scheme to illegally obtain federal recovery funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, bribe a bank employee, and launder the fraudulent proceeds of the scheme.

Two brothers from Sedona, Arizona, pleaded guilty for conspiring with one another and others to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) out of nearly $109 million in loans intended to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke woman, who conspired with dozens of other individuals to commit wire fraud as part of a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Roanoke.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced today to 54 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering charges.

Diarra Williams and Nicholas Warford were indicted with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding.

ATLANTA – Jerry Baptiste, the last of 20 defendants charged in a wide-ranging criminal scheme to steal Paycheck Protection Program funds during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been sentenced for his role in the scheme.

A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment last week against Akash Kumar Singh, 48, of Sacramento, charging him with four counts of bank fraud and three counts of money laundering.

HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that Martin Kao, 51, of Honolulu, was sentenced today in federal court by Senior United States District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi to 87 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised released for COVID-relief wire fraud, money laundering, and bank fraud.

A Collin County man and a Floridian have been convicted of federal violations related to a COVID fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

BOSTON – Two men were arrested for allegedly submitting fraudulent information in an effort to obtain loans through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.

BOSTON – A Michigan man has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with a conspiracy to import and sell illegal pharmaceuticals, including opioids, and to fund the operation of the scheme by fraudulently obtaining a Covid pandemic relief loan.

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CLIFTON C. JAMES (“JAMES”), age 50, of New Orleans, pled guilty on January 15, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche-Milazzo to making false statements, theft of government funds, and money laundering related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). He also pled guilty to false tax filing with the Internal Revenue Service.

HONOLULU – On January 9, 2025, Senior United States District Judge J. Michael Seabright sentenced Christopher A. Mazzei, 46, and Erin V. Mazzei, 43, both of Arroyo Grande, California, to 36 months and 27 months of imprisonment, respectively, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud the government of forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds intended for Coronavirus-related relief.

FRANCESCO DISTEFANO and a co-defendant allegedly used fraud proceeds to purchase a Lamborghini Huracan, Maserati Ghibli, and Porsche 911.

BOSTON – The operator of numerous sober homes in Massachusetts, who also operated insulation companies receiving funds through the Mass Save Program, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his involvement in four different fraud schemes involving sober homes in the Greater Boston area, the Mass Save Program, mortgage lenders and a federal loan program that assisted businesses during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cassandra Yolanda Clarke, 45 of Miramar, Fla., had her initial appearance yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Fort Lauderdale and was charged with fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief loans and grants under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan.

An indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Northern District of Texas charging two co-founders of Blueacorn, a lender service provider, in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

SAN DIEGO – After an eight-day trial, a federal jury has convicted Denny Thakorbhai Bhakta on all 25 counts of securities fraud, bank fraud and money laundering in connection with a $35 million dollar investment fraud scheme and COVID-relief fraud scheme.

NEWARK, N.J. – A former resident of Monmouth County admitted his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds.

Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Lester John Parker, Jr. (55, Lehigh Acres) on a 15-count indictment related to his alleged involvement in a multi-million-dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scheme. Parker’s charges include one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of access device fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, and three counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. If convicted, Parker faces up to 20 years in...

NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida woman today admitted fraudulently obtaining $465,489 in COVID-19 relief funding after submitting fraudulent applications to victim lenders.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida remains a leader in COVID-19 pandemic relief prosecutions, holding a range of actors accountable for these crimes. Over this summer alone, the district has charged 17 individuals with COVID-19 relief fraud cases, with scheme amounts totaling over $21 million.

TRENTON, N.J. – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $4.8 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for himself and others.

BOSTON – A Carlisle man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of multiple companies he owns and controls.

A federal superseding indictment was unsealed Monday in the District of Oregon charging an Arizona man and three associates for conspiring with one another and others to devise and carry out a scheme that attempted to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration out of at least $178 million in loans intended to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

LAS VEGAS – A federal jury convicted a Nevada man Wednesday for defrauding three banks of more than $11.2 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds intended to help small businesses impacted by the pandemic.

CAMDEN, N.J. – Three New Jersey residents were indicted for their role in a multimillion-dollar mortgage fraud scheme and two of the three were indicted for fraudulently obtaining approximately $3 million of federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

SAN DIEGO – David Constantin, mastermind of a scheme to steal more than $5 million in California unemployment benefits intended to help workers affected by the pandemic, was sentenced in federal court today to five years in prison and was ordered to pay $ $5,178,276 in restitution to the state.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man was indicted on charges that he fraudulently obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds.

TRENTON N.J. – A New Jersey couple admitted fraudulently obtaining approximately $790,000 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) payments.

TRENTON, N.J. – A Florida man was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining over $2.4 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) payments.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results achieved by the Middle District of Florida to combat fraud related to COVID-19. This work has included complementary efforts by the United States Attorney’s Office’s (USAO-MDFL) Criminal, Asset Recovery, Appellate, and Civil Divisions, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

BOSTON – An Easton man was charged yesterday in a superseding indictment for allegedly using Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds to secretly purchase a home in the name of a close relative.

NEWARK N.J. – A Sussex Country, New Jersey, man was indicted today for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).

Teldrin Foster, John Gaines, and Carla Jackson have been sentenced for their roles in a scheme to steal Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) funds during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, a total of 23 individuals have been convicted and sentenced in connection with the fraudulent scheme.

A former Overland Park, Kansas, man was sentenced in federal court today for fraudulently receiving more than $800,000 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for a business that was no longer in operation.

Two pharmacy owners were sentenced for using New York-area pharmacies to submit millions of dollars in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and then laundering the proceeds, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man admitted that he fraudulently obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and laundered the loan proceeds.

A federal grand jury today returned a superseding indictment charging an Orange County man with wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly making fraudulent claims to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, two federal programs created to provide financial assistance to Americans suffering economic harm because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging James Elliott Davis II (35, Ponte Vedra Beach) with 16 counts of bank fraud, 12 counts of wire fraud, and 1 count of money laundering and theft of mail. If convicted, Davis faces up to 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud, up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, up to 10 years in prison for the money laundering count, up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the theft of mail count, and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded.

ST.GEORGE, Utah – Bradford, Leland Fishback, 40, of St. George was sentenced today to over two years’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release and ordered by the court to pay $685,845.05 in restitution. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby, comes after Fishback admitted to fraudulently obtaining government funds from programs intended to help employees and small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Barrett Purvis (54, Tampa) guilty of wire fraud and money laundering. Purvis faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offense and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the money laundering offense.

“Our office is committed to rooting out abuse of the relief programs provided by the CARES Act," said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual.

A Deepwater, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for fraudulently obtaining more than $500,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

CAMDEN, N.J. – Three individuals were indicted for their roles in fraudulently obtaining approximately $5 million of federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and for laundering the loan proceeds.

A Coffee County man was sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution for fraudulently obtaining funds intended to help businesses struggling financially during the pandemic.

BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for a scheme to submit false applications to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) funds through the Small Business Administration (SBA) that were made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The Justice Department’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force (CFETF) today released its 2024 report detailing the efforts of the task force and its member agencies in response to widespread fraud involving many COVID-19 relief programs targeted by fraudsters and other criminals who sought to exploit the government’s relief efforts for their personal gain.

A federal grand jury in Cleveland returned a 13-count indictment charging two individuals for their alleged roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $4.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Joseph Oloyede, 61, of Medina, Ohio and Edward Oluwasanmi, 61, of Willoughby, Ohio are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering offenses.

A Jefferson City, Mo. man has pleaded guilty in federal court to a $12.4 million bank fraud scheme that included fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for four businesses.

BOSTON – A Haverhill man was arrested and charged today in connection with a Massachusetts Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claim he filed in 2020 for a man who was living in Brazil and who has since been charged with migrant smuggling, among other offenses.

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Tarek Kassem, 63, of Parker, Colorado, was indicted by a federal grand jury for wire fraud and money laundering.

A federal grand jury returned a 58-count superseding indictment Thursday adding new charges for Shahrir “Sean” Loloee, 53, of Granite Bay, and charging Sacramento residents Mirwais Shams, 36, and Ahmad “Shah” Shams, 29, for their participation in the fraud conspiracy.

Terrence L. Pounds, 47, of Holland, Ohio was sentenced to 94 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela Barker after earlier pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. He was also ordered to pay $4,239,940.43 to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and serve 3 years of supervised release.

NEWARK, N.J. – Three individuals were charged today for falsely seeking more than $2.9 billion from the IRS by filing 131 false tax forms claiming COVID-19 related employment tax credits.

On March 7, Andre Lorquet, 39, of Miami, Florida was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief loans and grants under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Relief Program (EIDL), and the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant (SVOG).

“As alleged, the defendant submitted applications filled with fabricated information in order to steal more than $1 million dollars in government funds intended to help hard-hit small businesses and their employees survive the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The defendant then laundered and used the stolen funds to buy jewelry and for personal securities trading. Today’s indictment shows that this Office remains committed to identifying and prosecuting those who stole pandemic relief funds.”

Eleven defendants from Missouri, Kansas, Texas, and Washington have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy that resulted in more than $220,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for his role in fraudulently obtaining over $2.1 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).

A federal jury in Atlanta convicted a Georgia man and woman yesterday for their roles in an over $11 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud scheme.

Nnamdi Iheanacho has been indicted on federal charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering conspiracy, and concealment money laundering for stealing COVID-19 relief funds and federal tax refunds based on fraud and identity theft.

Teldrin Foster and Carla Jackson were found guilty by a jury for their roles in schemes to steal Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SAN DIEGO –Eduard Buse and Florentina Sima pleaded guilty in federal court today to fraud and money laundering charges, admitting they participated in a scheme to steal more than $5 million in California unemployment benefits intended to help workers affected by the pandemic.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, announced the indictment of 19 individuals for their participation in a scheme to illegally obtain federal recovery funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Grand Jury charged the defendants with multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering.

A former Overland Park, Kansas, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to fraudulently receiving more than $800,000 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DENT HUNTER, age 45, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on January 30, 2024 before U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion to both making false statements and money laundering, related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results achieved by the Middle District of Florida’s efforts to combat fraud related to COVID-19. Those efforts have included complementary actions by the United States Attorney’s Office’s (USAO-MDFL) Criminal, Asset Recovery, Appellate, and Civil Divisions, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

BOSTON – Six individuals, including three from Massachusetts, have been charged in connection with their alleged involvement in a multi-state scheme to obtain millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds for themselves, and others, through the submission of dozens of fraudulent applications to PPP lenders.

A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging a New Jersey man for his alleged participation in a scheme to obtain, through multiple fraudulent loan applications, more than $2 million in COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and to launder the money through a series of financial transactions.

NEWARK N.J. – A Sussex County, New Jersey, man was arrested today on charges related to fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) totaling over $2 million.

BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to submit false applications to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) funds through the Small Business Administration (SBA) that were made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Austin Martin Siampwizi, who laundered money procured from fraudulent unemployment claims filed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, has pleaded guilty to a charge of money laundering conspiracy.