Reports

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...

Baltimore, Maryland – David Epstein, age 46, of Owings Mills, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, relating to the submission of 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.

SAN DIEGO – A federal jury convicted San Diego restaurant owner Leronce Suel of wire fraud, conspiracy, and tax crimes for providing bogus information in applications for COVID relief programs and failing to report more than $1.7 million in revenue to the IRS.

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

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Henry Troy Wade (47, Ocala) guilty of six counts of wire fraud. Wade faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 2025. A federal grand jury had returned an indictment against Wade on November 22, 2022.

An indictment accuses Anthony Virdure II of stealing checks with a face value of more than $1.5 million from the mail.

NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey business owner today admitted his role in a fraud scheme involving COVID funds, fraudulent tax filings and a fraudulent loan application.

BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to fraud and false statements charges in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.