Reports

An Arizona man was sentenced to 4 years in prison for filing false tax returns and loan applications to obtain COVID-19 disaster relief.

Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Tiia Woods, 47, of Jacksonville, Florida, to 74 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence is in connection with Woods’s role as an organizer of an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme. Through the conspiracy, victims lost approximately $3,296,725.

ABINGDON, Va. – Josef Ludwig Brown, one of the leaders of a 17 defendant conspiracy to defraud the United States, commit program fraud, and commit mail fraud in connection with a scheme to file fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits was sentenced last week to 35 months in federal prison.

“Today, George Santos was finally held accountable for the mountain of lies, theft, and fraud he perpetrated. For the defendant, it was judgment day, and for his many victims including campaign donors, political parties, government agencies, elected bodies, his own family members, and his constituents, it is justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Durham. “To Mr. Santos and other dishonest individuals of that ilk, who lie, steal identities and commit frauds to get elected to public office, this prosecution speaks to the truth that my Office is committed to aggressively rooting out public corruption and...

A United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has been arrested on a five-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he fraudulently obtained nearly $150,000 in COVID-19 pandemic business-relief loan funds for two of his sham businesses, the Justice Department announced today.

A Columbia, Mo., man who ran a scheme to defraud insurance companies through staged accidents and who fraudulently applied for COVID-19 relief funds was sentenced in federal court today for conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Denys Perez (31, Tampa) has pleaded guilting to wire fraud related to COVID relief funds. Perez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. In addition, he faces a forfeiture order of $502,900, as well as a forfeiture order for the property he purchased with proceeds of his offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Chief U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III, sentenced Ryan E. Dales, 36, of Baltimore, to 26 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Dales, a previously convicted felon, was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Larry E. Denson, Jr. (31, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Denson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the United State government. Denson has also agreed to forfeit $18,190, the proceeds of the charged criminal offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Ocala, FL - A Florida man pleaded guilty on Monday to purchasing Medicare identification numbers and using those numbers to cause over $8.4 million of false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare.

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Sean Walker, 34, of High Springs, Florida, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for wire fraud in connection with COVID-19 relief fraud. The sentence was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

PROVIDENCE – Four Florida residents convicted in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island for executing one of the largest schemes in the country to defraud Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act programs, including in Rhode Island, have been sentenced to federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

Cortney Merritts, 46, of St. Louis, Missouri, was charged today by federal indictment with two counts of wire fraud for allegedly filing fraudulent applications with the Small Business Administration in 2020 and 2021 that allowed him to collect more than $20,000 in government funds under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Andra Shirone Thompson, 48, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to a year and a day for two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Thompson pled guilty to conspiring to defraud Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act loan programs and his role in a years-long scheme to defraud commercial equipment financing companies

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Devante Smith, 30, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with his role in an unemployment insurance fraud scheme. Through the conspiracy, victims lost at least $298,685.

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.

Baltimore, Maryland – After a one-week trial, a federal jury found Nichelle Henson, age 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, guilty of making false statements and for bank fraud in connection with fraudulent applications Henson filed to obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in the names of multiple purported businesses that she had previously incorporated in the state of Maryland.

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the indictment and arrest of Terrence Bradford (46, Tampa) for eight counts of wire fraud related to COVID relief funds. If convicted, Bradford faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. In addition, he faces a forfeiture order of $533,648.32, which represents the alleged proceeds he obtained through these offenses.

Brianna Bell-Maple, Jemyla Bell, and Leiah Vaughn each pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

ABINGDON, Va. – An additional five of the 17 defendants charged with conspiring to defraud the United States, commit program fraud, and commit mail fraud in connection to a scheme involving the filing of fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits, were sentenced this week in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.

Kalynn Fields, 34, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with filing false and misleading information in order to reap $35,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.

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.

ATLANTA - Brian H. Sperber and Edmond S. Norkus have received prison sentences for conspiring to commit wire fraud in a scheme in which the men tricked expectant purchasers of personal protective equipment out of more than $14 million.

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.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett, today, sentenced Joseph Gillespie, age 35, of Baltimore City, Maryland, to four years in federal prison and three years of supervised release in connection with a bribery scheme and conspiracy to commit wire fraud scheme involving COVID-19 CARES Act relief benefits.

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman pleaded guilty yesterday to carrying out a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $137,000 from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA), the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL).

Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Julio Medina, Christopher Dantzler and Weihong Hu with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, honest-services wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to violate the Travel Act and the use of a facility of interstate commerce in aid of commercial bribery.

Christopher Lee Carroll was also ordered to pay restitution of $3 million.

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 – Former Massachusetts State Senator Dean A. Tran was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for scheming to defraud the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance and collecting income that he failed to report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Mark Ethan Jermain submitted three false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications from the Slovak Republic.

Patrick Strauss, 54, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 48 months of probation – including six months of home confinement to be followed by a period of intermittent incarceration, that is, 26 weekends in jail – and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $304,900 and fined $8,784, all for participating in a conspiracy that fraudulently obtained more than $304,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans.

Royce Newcomb, 62, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and money laundering charges today for a long-running fraud scheme where he stole $4.2 million from investors, lenders, and the federal government.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Gernesia Williams, 47, of Baton Rouge, to 13 months in federal prison following her conviction for knowing conversion of government funds.

Tacoma – The second of two Nigerian men residing in Canada who defrauded pandemic aid programs of millions was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 54 months in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.

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.

CINCINNATI – Joseph Lentine III, 55, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 63 months in prison for orchestrating a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme involving millions of dollars.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Carolina Amesty (30, Windermere) with two counts of theft of government property related to COVID relief fraud. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

BOSTON – A Massachusetts businessman was sentenced today for misappropriating COVID-19 relief funds for personal use.

An Orange County man and part-time actor was sentenced today to 98 months in federal prison for soliciting investors in companies that marketed what in fact were a bogus cure and treatment for COVID-19 during the pandemic’s early days.

Darmani Hawkins, 21, of Aurora, was sentenced to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud; conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and mail theft as part of schemes to fraudulently obtain COVID-era state unemployment benefits and, separately, to steal checks from the mail, alter them, and deposit them.

An indictment accuses Steven Hendren of submitting fraudulent applications for rental assistance to the Missouri Housing Development Commission.

Seattle – A 31-year-old Seattle man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft for three different fraud schemes between 2019 and 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.

HONOLULU – On December 12, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Kaiaulani C. Kaiawe, also known as Coty K. Duhaylongsod, 46, of Kapaa, Hawaii, charging Kaiawe with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering in connection with fraudulent claims for pandemic-related rental and utility assistance.

Frederick Avery sold Superior Cruise and Travel LLC in 2019, received $215K in PPP loans in 2020 and 2021,

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).

RALEIGH, N.C. – Raleigh businessman Wilson Alfredo Olivera Borda pled guilty to nine counts of defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for over $1 million. At sentencing, Olivera faces a statutory maximum of 30 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000,000.

A South Bay man who provided lifestyle and personal development coaching to students in public schools through a non-profit he founded pleaded guilty today to fraudulently applying for millions of dollars in COVID-19 jobless benefits, including by using stolen identities.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A jury found a Columbus man guilty on all counts for leading drug, sex trafficking and financial fraud conspiracies and then attempting to obstruct justice and tamper with witnesses.

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.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two people have been indicted for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief funding on behalf of a West Virginia resident, according to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. Kimberly VanKline, 56, of Hyattsville, Maryland, and Rhonda Brown-Moore, 64, of Brooklyn, New York, were indicted yesterday for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to the improper receipt of funds from the COVID Relief Act.

Jason Toland, 44, of Wheatland, was sentenced today to two years and 11 months in prison for submitting false claims against the United States related to COVID-19 pandemic tax credits. Toland was also ordered to pay $2,078,462 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and the Small Business Administration.

YASIR G. HAMED, 59, of Woodbridge, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with offenses stemming from an alleged scheme to defraud a COVID-19 pandemic relief program of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Geary Simon, 71, of Washington, D.C., entered a guilty plea today to one count of wire fraud in connection with a presidentially declared disaster or emergency and to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The guilty plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich.

Henry Ellard Jr., 39, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to stealing $144,000 in COVID-19 relief money.

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.

Shirley Waller has been accused of aiding a romance fraud conspiracy and committing a nearly $40,000 pandemic relief loan fraud as well as a separate mortgage fraud.

PROVIDENCE, RI – United States Attorney Zachry A. Cunha announced today that a Rhode Island mortgage broker who purported to match borrowers seeking short-term loans with private lenders seeking high rates of return admitted to a federal judge that he misappropriated more than $1.5 million dollars of investors’ funds by using the money to repay earlier investors, support his own international investment opportunities, and to cover personal expenses.

BOSTON – A Florida company, and two individuals associated with the company, have pleaded guilty to charges associated with shipping facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators, and price gouging hospitals, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BOSTON – A California company, and three individuals who owned and managed the company, have been charged and have agreed to plead guilty to charges relating to the shipment of facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Baltimore, Maryland – On October 23, 2024, Tomeka Glenn, a/k/a “Tomeka Harris” and “Tomeka Davis,” age 47, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, was sentenced by United States District Judge Richard D. Bennett to 65 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release in connection with her conviction on conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to the submission of millions of dollars in fraudulent COVID-19 CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications. Judge Bennett also directed Glenn to pay restitution in the amount of $3,016,275.62.

A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Ricky Lee Ware, 41; Kimberly Ann Wallace, 28, of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Carlos Lee Sanchez Jr., 44, of Sacramento, charging them with conspiring to commit access device fraud and access device fraud.

U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Larry Jordan, 45, of Lancaster, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud for his participation in a scheme to file fraudulent loan applications seeking forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, joined the announcement. # # # #

Camille Foster fraudulently obtained five Paycheck Protection Program loans between May 2020 and November 2021.

BOSTON – A Lawrence woman was sentenced in federal court in Boston for using stolen identities of taxpayers and businesspeople to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a bank, and the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Thakur Sukhdeo (38, Lehigh Acres) with wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions. If convicted, Sukhdeo faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years in federal prison for each illegal monetary transaction count. The indictment also notifies Sukhdeo that the United States intends to forfeit a 2018 Jaguar F-Pace, 2020 GMC Sierra 3500 HD, and $414,000, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.

BOSTON – A Florida company, and two individuals associated with the company, have been charged and agreed to plead guilty to charges associated with shipping facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators, and price gouging hospitals, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.