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Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Clarence Gardener (50, Odessa) with one count of wire fraud. If convicted, Gardener faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Gardener that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $261,253.00, which represents the alleged proceeds traceable to the offense.

Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Lester John Parker, Jr. (55, Lehigh Acres) to ten years and one month in federal prison for his role in a multi-million-dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scheme. Parker pleaded guilty on July 9, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Carnisha Maurica Rogers (31, Jacksonville) to 36 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, false representation of a Social Security number involving a line of credit scheme, and wire fraud involving COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The court also ordered Rogers to pay $108,867.63 in restitution to the victims she defrauded and to forfeit $20,832, which is traceable to proceeds of the wire fraud offense involving COVID relief fraud. Rogers pleaded guilty in...

BOSTON – A Los Angeles man who formerly resided in Randolph, Mass. was sentenced on Oct. 1, 2025 in federal court in Boston for submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of multiple companies he owns and controls.

Despite the recent government shutdown, federal courts across the nation utilized various resources to guarantee the continuity of justice and continued to operate on essential cases, including criminal prosecutions, immigration hearings, and civil rights violations.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jacinto Luna (54, Immokalee) and Marcelino DeLeon (45, Felda) each to 24 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, after they both pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and engaging in illegal monetary transactions in connection with the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.

KAREN GASTON, 45, of East Granby, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in New Haven to three years of probation for defrauding COVID-19 pandemic relief programs of more than $1.1 million. During her probation, Gaston was ordered to serve four weekends of incarceration, 10 months in home detention, and 500 hours of community service.

A 13-count indictment has now been unsealed alleging a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration and Paycheck Protection Program-affiliated lenders during the COVID-19 pandemic

Baltimore, Maryland – Duane Watts, 46, and Donna Jones, 59, both of Baltimore, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in connection with an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme. Watts and Jones, along with their co-conspirators, used the UI benefits, which were designated to assist unemployed or underemployed persons due to the COVID-19 national emergency, for their own personal enrichment.