Reports

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.

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.

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.

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.

An Illinois man pleaded guilty today for his role in a COVID-19 testing fraud scheme.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida remains a leader in COVID-19 pandemic relief prosecutions, holding a range of actors accountable for these crimes. Over this summer alone, the district has charged 17 individuals with COVID-19 relief fraud cases, with scheme amounts totaling over $21 million.

Cymone McClellan was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on four felony counts of wire fraud.

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Angela Chew (60, Leesburg) guilty of conspiracy to bribe a public official and commit wire fraud, three counts of bribery of a public official, and six counts of wire fraud. Chew faces up to 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count, up to 15 years in federal prison on each of the bribery counts, and up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the wire fraud counts. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 18, 2024.

Rashid Naqvi has been accused of fraudulently obtaining $1.9 million from Medicare by billing for numerous COVID-19 test kits that he had sent to patients who had never requested them. Many of the patients were dead, the indictment says.

BOSTON – A Massachusetts businessman pleaded guilty yesterday to misappropriating COVID-19 relief funds for personal use.

Kaymeisha Keyes, 33, of Tracy, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to nine years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme to defraud the unemployment insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Nina M. Williams, 56, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William, M. Skretny to wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Sanjay Patel, an attorney who formerly operated a Georgia-based real estate law firm, has pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining nearly $300,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to using his attorney escrow account to launder more than $250,000 from unrelated investor fraud schemes.

Juashayla Walls sought loans during the COVID-19 pandemic for a fake company called the “Barbie Factory.”

Tacoma – The second of two Nigerian men residing in Canada pleaded guilty Thursday September 12, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his fraud scheme that stole more than $1.3 million in federal funds, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.

U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging John L. Hutchins, 70, of Lewiston, NY, and Roberto Soliman, 40, of Niagara Falls, NY, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, bank fraud, and wire fraud. In addition, defendant Hutchins is charged with making a false statement and defendant Soliman is charged with engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived property. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

Law enforcement officials today arrested six Orange County residents charged in three indictments alleging, among other crimes, they stole identities to defraud California’s unemployment insurance (UI) system and to fraudulently apply for lines of credit from a lender, using the identity theft victims’ homes as collateral.

Baltimore, Maryland –Senior United States District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Ayaz Qureshi, age 55, of Severna Park, Maryland to a year and a day in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, in connection with a conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting financial institutions, relating to more than $250,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) benefits. PPP benefits were a program created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans...

Christopher Carroll fraudulently obtained nearly $3 million in pandemic relief loans, evidence and testimony at trial showed.

Baltimore, Maryland – Joseph Gillespie, age 35, of Baltimore City, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving a scheme to defraud a financial institution and the United States Small Business Administration in order to obtain fraudulent loans under the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program for various purported businesses. The Defendant also admitted to engaging in a bribery scheme for over eight years, whereby, in exchange for bribes from various property owners in Baltimore City (the “City”), the Defendant would use his official...

Greenbelt, Maryland – On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, the Honorable Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Rudolph Brooks, age 48, of Cheltenham, Maryland, to 18 months in federal prison followed by 2 years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining over $3.5 million in COVID-19 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans. The Court also ordered Brooks to forfeit all property and assets derived from or obtained as a result of his criminal activity, including a 2018 Tesla Model 3, property located in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and at least $2,231...

SAN DIEGO – David Constantin, mastermind of a scheme to steal more than $5 million in California unemployment benefits intended to help workers affected by the pandemic, was sentenced in federal court today to five years in prison and was ordered to pay $ $5,178,276 in restitution to the state.

Today, U.S. Senior District Judge sentenced Alexandra Acosta, a Broward deputy sheriff and SWAT team member, to 4 months’ imprisonment after a jury convicted her of one count of conspiracy to defraud the Small Business Administration (“SBA”), two counts of false statements to the SBA, and one count of wire fraud, all in relation to her COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Lisa Yvette Starkes (52, Ocala) on an indictment charging her with two counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Starkes faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count and a forfeiture order for $41,452—an amount representing the unlawful proceeds of the offense. The indictment was returned on August 6, 2024.

SAN JUAN, P.R. – On August 22, 2024, a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned 32 separate indictments charging 32 individuals with engaging in fraud to obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits totaling $981,071, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG) are in charge of the investigations with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Puerto Rico Department of...

An Orange County man was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for defrauding companies who in mid-2020 paid more than $3 million for COVID-related medical protective equipment that was never delivered.

BOSTON – A Nigerian man was arrested on Aug. 13, 2024 upon arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on charges that he, and others, conspired to fraudulently obtain at least $10 million in COVID-19 unemployment benefits.

Jia Bei Zhu, 62, and Zhaoyan Wang, 38, both citizens of China, who operated the biolabs Universal Meditech Inc. (UMI) and Prestige Biotech Inc. (PBI) in Fresno and Reedley face conspiracy and wire fraud charges in a superseding indictment.

Salt Lake City, Utah – A Utah restaurant owner who obtained over $1.88 million by defrauding the COVID-19 Relief program was sentenced today to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment.

BOSTON – A Cambridge man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in connection with an ongoing investigation into counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. It is alleged that the defendant is responsible for the manufacturing over 200 kilograms of counterfeit pills.

“As alleged, the defendants, including members of law enforcement responsible for upholding the law, defrauded the United States government out of relief funds meant for businesses struggling to survive the pandemic,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “These arrests are a powerful reminder of this Office’s resolve to prosecute anyone who violated the public trust and took advantage of the COVID crisis by stealing from relief programs.”

Edna McGowan-Baker engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Program loans.

Six people have pleaded guilty in a 33-count indictment with illegally obtaining nearly $3,000,000 in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits using other people’s personal identifying information.

Salt Lake City, Utah – A United States District Court Judge sentenced a Utah County man Monday, who posed as a fake doctor, to three years’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release after he scammed consumers looking to heal a variety of ailments, including Coronavirus.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MELISSA J. WATSON (“WATSON”), of Slidell, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Darrel J. Papillion to twelve months and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, and payment of restitution totaling $1,281,818.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a superseding indictment charging Jared Dean Eakes (33, Jacksonville) with five counts of wire fraud and three counts of bank fraud. If convicted, Eakes faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 30 years’ imprisonment for each bank fraud count. The indictment also notifies Eakes that the United States is seeking orders of forfeiture in the total amount of $7,489,732.20, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results achieved by the Middle District of Florida to combat fraud related to COVID-19. This work has included complementary efforts by the United States Attorney’s Office’s (USAO-MDFL) Criminal, Asset Recovery, Appellate, and Civil Divisions, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Rosson Hamilton (40, Brandon) on an indictment charging him with two counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Hamilton faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of David Antonetti (28, Riverview) on an indictment charging him with two counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Antonetti faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.

Frederick Avery submitted two applications for PPP loans that claimed he was the 100% owner of Superior Cruise and Travel LLC. Avery sold the agency to a limited liability company in Pennsylvania in November 2019.

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jemel Lyles, age 42, of Washington, D.C., with three counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of money laundering relating to the submission of alleged fraudulent COVID-19 CARES Act loan applications. The indictment was returned on June 27, 2024, and unsealed today upon the arrest of the defendant.

Teldrin Foster, John Gaines, and Carla Jackson have been sentenced for their roles in a scheme to steal Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) funds during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, a total of 23 individuals have been convicted and sentenced in connection with the fraudulent scheme.

BOSTON – A Lawrence woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to separate fraudulent schemes that targeted banks and the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Salt Lake City, Utah – Robert James Waff, 50, of Sacramento, California, was sentenced today to a year and a half imprisonment, three years’ supervised release and ordered by the court to pay $114,066 in restitution. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Tena Campbell, comes after Waff admitted to devising a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department by unlawfully collecting unemployment benefits during COVID-19.

Mark Jermain pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and admitted submitting three fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications from April 26, 2020, to July 16, 2021.

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, United States District Judge Richard Bennett sentenced Ahmed Sary, age 46, of Baltimore, Maryland to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and one year of home detention, in connection with a 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...

Two pharmacy owners were sentenced for using New York-area pharmacies to submit millions of dollars in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and then laundering the proceeds, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anuli Okeke, the former vice president and manager of a New York branch of Popular Bank was convicted yesterday afternoon by a federal jury in Brooklyn of all four counts of an indictment charging her with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering conspiracy. The charges arose out of a scheme the defendant led to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars from the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A former college football player and Orange County man pleaded guilty today to orchestrating a scheme that fraudulently sought more than $1 million and obtained more than $280,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits.

BROOKLYN, NY – Kathleen Breault pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States by fraudulently destroying over 2,600 COVID-19 vaccines and issuing a corresponding number of fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination record cards. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Rachel P. Kovner.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Five of eight individuals who were charged for their role in a COVID-19 loan fraud scheme were sentenced this week.