Reports

Tacoma – A woman who was part owner and CEO of Tacoma Baking Co. pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to wire fraud in connection with nearly $350,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Lori Hammond, a/k/a Lori McCracken, a/k/a Lori Blakely, 54, of Summerville, Christopher Conrad, 41, of Holly Hill, Catherine “Cassie” Needham, 38, of Manning, and Jontrell Wright, 37, of Orangeburg, were sentenced to federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud for submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications and misusing the funds.

A former bank branch manager in Kansas City, Mo., has pleaded guilty in federal court to accepting Kansas City Chiefs playoffs tickets and a new Chevrolet Tahoe in exchange for facilitating a $12.4 million Covid fraud scheme by a Jefferson City, Mo., business owner, as well as a separate fraud scheme to receive unemployment benefits.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Tommy Louisville (71, Pembroke Pines) has pleaded guilty to unlawful drug distribution, making a false statement related to health care matters, and wire fraud. Louisville faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the drug distribution offense, up to 5 years’ imprisonment for the false statement offense, and up to 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offense. A sentencing date has not been scheduled.

Three Tulsa-area residents who fraudulently applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans were sentenced last week in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Used CARES Act Loan Proceeds to Purchase a Mercedes-Benz and to Lease and Fully Furnish a Luxury Apartment in Downtown Baltimore U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Lawrence A. Walker, age 64, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 24 months in federal prison, followed by 6 months of home confinement, and 3 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and fraudulently obtaining more than $262,000 through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), intended to provide financial assistance to small businesses under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (...

On Oct. 27, a former corrections sergeant with the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (MDCRD), was sentenced to 18 months in prison for COVID-19 relief fraud, followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $432.051 in restitution.

Ahmed Sary, age 45, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting financial institutions, relating to the submission of more than $17.9 million in fraudulent CARES Act loan applications. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A federal grand jury has charged a doctor who operated clinics in Westminster and Garden Grove with defrauding a COVID-19 program for uninsured patients by submitting more than a quarter billion dollars in claims – ultimately receiving about $150 million in payments – for services not covered under the program or simply not provided.