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LAS VEGAS – As a result of coordinated law enforcement actions in three states, seven men have been arrested and indicted in connection with submitting fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan applications administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, totaling $205,639 in fraudulent loan proceeds. The takedown was conducted by the FBI Las Vegas Field Office; FBI Phoenix Division; FBI Houston Division, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the North Las Vegas Police Department.

Currin Caridine, 39, was sentenced to 41 months in prison to be followed by three years supervised release

A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment on Tuesday charging two Provo, Utah, men with conspiring to steal over $5.5 million from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) through a fictitious payroll and bank fraud scheme. A third defendant previously pleaded guilty.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Chickaloon man was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for orchestrating a scheme to defraud the U.S. government of COVID-19 relief funds.

Lakeysha Day, 45, of Columbia, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today for her involvement in a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.

Tampa, FL – Yan Daniel Inclan Hernandez (32, Orlando) has been charged by indictment with one count of making a false Statement to a financial institution and three counts of wire fraud. If convicted on all counts, Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison per count. The indictment also notifies the defendant that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $157,500, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

Baltimore, Maryland – A former USAID employee pled guilty in federal court, today, to charges stemming from a CARES Act scheme that enabled him to illegally obtain more than $176,000. Simeon Bakare, 55, of Waldorf, Maryland, pled guilty to wire-fraud charges in connection with the scheme. Bakare previously worked on information technology matters for USAID.

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, John Bolden was sentenced by United States District Judge Diane Gujarati to 48 months in prison for wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). At the time of his criminal conduct, Bolden was a detective with the New York City Police Department (NYPD). In addition to the prison term, Judge Gujarati ordered Bolden to pay restitution in the amount of $303,138 and forfeiture in the amount of $112,002. The defendant previously pleaded guilty on February 18, 2026.

Brian T. Smith, 52, and Myria K. Phaisan, 50, both of Omaha, Nebraska, were sentenced in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.