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A dual American and Nigerian citizen has been sentenced to prison for creating and leading a scheme that bilked more than $4.2 million from federal loan and grant programs that were intended to assist small businesses with economic hardship they suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thomas O. Crowell, 35, of Canal Winchester, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 188 months in prison for committing narcotics, firearms and financial fraud crimes. A federal jury convicted Crowell in January 2024.

CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has indicted Richard Opoku Agyemang, 40, of Cincinnati, in connection with a romance-fraud conspiracy allegedly involving more than $2 million in loss to dozens of victims.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged two Central Ohio women with crimes related to fraudulently receiving more than $2.8 million total in covid-relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 18 months in prison for committing wire fraud as part of a scheme to fraudulently obtain a Covid relief loan.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted Thomas O. Crowell, 35, of Canal Winchester, with narcotics, firearms and fraud crimes.

CINCINNATI– A man who filed for relief under the Paycheck Protection Program and fraudulently claimed that he was running a business during the time he was incarcerated was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 12 months and one day in prison.

CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man is charged with wire fraud as part of a scheme to fraudulently obtain a Covid relief loan.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus woman was sentenced in federal court today to 72 months in prison for committing 16 counts of wire and passport fraud. The defendant stole the identity of a baby who died as an infant and used the infant’s identity to obtain a passport, a student pilot license, a job as a flight attendant, and pandemic relief loans.

A federal jury in the Southern District of Ohio today convicted Kelli Prather, 51, of Cincinnati of crimes pertaining to her request for more than $1.2 million in pandemic relief loans. She was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals after the jury returned its guilty verdicts.