Search

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford is pleased to announce a series of criminal and civil enforcement actions to combat fraud involving federal pandemic relief funds. Since June 2026, the District of Oregon’s Covid Fraud Task Force has brought 12 enforcement actions involving more than $29 million in losses and thus far resulting in more than $8.6 million in recovery. Since 2020, the District’s COVID Fraud Task Force recovered more than $314 million and held fraudsters accountable through similar efforts.

Orlando, Florida – Verlynn Horne has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed to two years and six months in federal prison for wire fraud and willful failure to file tax returns. Horne pleaded guilty on April 7, 2026. As part of her sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $2,517,930, the proceeds of the wire fraud scheme and for Horne’s real property located in Winter Garden. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

Today, the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division along with the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the SBA Office of Inspector General, as part of a Heartland Fraud Surge announced the results of Operation No Doze, a surge of criminal enforcement actions targeting fraud in SBA’s small business COVID-era loan programs.

Today, Brittany Blalock, 35, of Washington, D.C., was ordered to pay $41,666 in restitution to Harvest Small Business Finance, LLC and sentenced to 48 months’ probation in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Blalock pleaded guilty on March 4, 2026, before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

A federal jury found Beniamin Lucescu, age 57, a Portland resident, guilty today of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.

Keith Mitchell was sentenced to 30 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Josette V. Martin and Tommy J. Apodaca are facing federal charges for allegedly conspiring to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related unemployment benefits by using stolen and fictitious identities to submit false claims through New Mexico’s unemployment insurance system.