Reports

A Florida attorney has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for participating in a scheme to illegally obtain funding from a federal COVID-19 small business relief program.

NEWARK, NJ. – Two New York men today admitted conspiring with others to defraud dozens of states to obtain millions of dollars of COVID-19 unemployment benefits; one of the defendants also admitted to fentanyl conspiracy and distribution and conspiring to defraud the IRS of tax credit benefits.

Camille Foster admitted obtaining five Paycheck Protection Program loans for a total of $104,163.

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.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man who estimated he filed more than 3,000 fraudulent COVID-relief applications was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 72 months in prison.

JOHN MATAVA, 60, of Coventry, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses related to his receipt of COVID-19 relief funds.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Three Tooele County residents accused of running a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud ring will appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge today following a federal indictment. The indictment, returned by a grand jury on Feb. 28, 2024, includes charges of wire fraud and aiding and abetting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.