Reports

Tacoma – A former employee of Washington State’s Employment Security Department pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to three federal felonies for his scheme to exploit his employment for personal enrichment and to fraudulently distribute at least $360,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.

BOSTON – A Leicester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for his involvement in fraud schemes affecting the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Loan and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Programs in Massachusetts and Nevada.

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced today to one year and nine months in prison for filing fraudulent loan applications that sought over $100,000 in loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Christopher Guy, age 30, of Tampa, Florida to 65 months in federal prison, followed by a three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Judge Gallagher also ordered Guy to pay $176,970 in restitution.

CINCINNATI – A former insurance agent was arrested this morning on federal charges alleging he defrauded dozens of victims in the Cincinnati and Dayton area and fraudulently obtained two COVID Paycheck Protection Program loans.

DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Daniel Stonebarger, age 50, of Highlands Ranch, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining funds intended to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Federal authorities this morning arrested a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier and a Santa Clarita Valley man for allegedly scheming to steal approximately $800,000 in unemployment insurance (UI) funds by using false claims of COVID-related job losses and stealing UI debit cards from the U.S. mail.