Reports
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Department of Justice
Kissimmee Man Pleads Guilty To COVID Relief Fraud Charges
Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces Levelle Joseph Harris (36, Kissimmee) has entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging him with 14 counts of wire fraud. Each count is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Harris had been indicted on June 7, 2022.
Department of Justice
Kissimmee Man Surrenders On Federal COVID Relief Fraud Charges
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Levelle Joseph Harris (36, Kissimmee) has surrendered pursuant to an indictment charging him with 14 counts of wire fraud. Each count is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Harris had been indicted on June 7, 2022.
Department of Justice
Eight Defendants Facing Federal Charges Relating to Over $1.6 Million Dollars in Cares Act Covid-19 Fraud, including Identity Theft and Unemployment Insurance Fraud
A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging nine defendants in relation to a Maryland and California CARES Act COVID-19 unemployment insurance scheme. The indictment charges the defendants with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and theft of United States Postal Office arrow keys. The indictment was returned on June 21, 2022, and unsealed upon the defendants’ self-surrenders and arrests.
Department of Justice
Baltimore City Man Facing Federal Charges for Allegedly Submitting Fraudulent Covid-19 Cares Act Relief Loan Applications and Stealing the Identity of a Tax Preparer
A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Dana Lamar Antonio Hayes, Jr., age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, on the federal charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. The indictment was returned on June 23, 2022, and unsealed upon his arrest. Hayes will have an initial appearance today at 3:30 p.m. in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth P. Gesner.
Department of Commerce OIG
EDA Was Effective in Implementing the Requirements for Awarding Funds Under the CARES Act
This memorandum provides the results of our evaluation of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA’s) plan for the implementation of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)1 funding. Our objective was to determine whether EDA implemented and followed the requirements of the CARES Act. Specifically, we determined (1) what steps EDA took in implementing the CARES Act, (2) challenges EDA faced during implementation, and (3) EDA’s ongoing efforts in awarding funds under the CARES Act. Overall, we found that EDA implemented and followed the requirements of the CARES Act...
Department of Commerce OIG
The Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture Met Pandemic Funds Requirements but Was Slow to Disburse Fishery Consolidated Appropriations Act Funds
This final report provides the results of our audit of the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture’s (PR DOA’s) use of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 (CARES Act) and Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2021 funds. Our objective was to determine whether PR DOA’s costs claimed through the CARES Act and CAA funds were allowable, allocable, and reasonable in accordance with federal cost principles.3 We conducted this audit as part of a response to a congressional request. This report provides answers to congressional questions related to CARES Act and CAA funds. To...
Department of Commerce OIG
Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Properly Disbursed Funds but Was Slow in Expending Fishery Disaster Assistance Funds
We audited the Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PRDNER’s) use of Federal Emergency and Pandemic Relief Financial Assistance Funds. Our audit objective was to determine whether federal funds received by PRDNER to support its fisheries in recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic1 and damages caused by several hurricanes were properly disbursed and used for their intended purpose. We conducted this audit in response to a congressional request, and answers to congressional questions about disaster relief funds are included in this report. Overall, we...
Department of Commerce OIG
Independent Program Evaluation of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Pandemic Relief Program
For the independent program evaluation of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Pandemic Relief Program, the evaluation objective was to determine whether NIST grantees and subrecipients accounted for and expended pandemic relief funds provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and subsequent funding authorizations in accordance with federal laws and regulations. We contracted with the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), an independent firm, to perform this evaluation. Our office oversaw the evaluation’s progress to ensure that IDA performed it in...
Department of Commerce OIG
EDA Needs to Improve Oversight of CARES Act Revolving Loan Funds to Ensure Loans Are Made to Eligible Borrowers and Used as Intended
Our audit found that loan costs claimed by the RLF operators were not allowable, allocable, and reasonable. Specifically, we found that the four operators awarded 11 of the 19 loans (58 percent), totaling $4,020,050, to ineligible borrowers that did not meet the eligibility criteria in the operators’ respective RLF operational plan, and borrowers did not use the RLF funds for the purpose intended by the CARES Act. As a result, we are questioning $4,020,050 in loan funds. In addition, we found RLF operators with 20 percent or more loans that were delinquent, in default, or written off, and EDA...