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Tanisha Gray, 39, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. Gray fraudulently obtained emergency rental assistance from Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA) and other states’ housing programs that were providing housing assistance for individuals unable to pay rent due to a financial hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ATLANTA - Brian H. Sperber and Edmond S. Norkus have received prison sentences for conspiring to commit wire fraud in a scheme in which the men tricked expectant purchasers of personal protective equipment out of more than $14 million.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett, today, sentenced Joseph Gillespie, age 35, of Baltimore City, Maryland, to four years in federal prison and three years of supervised release in connection with a bribery scheme and conspiracy to commit wire fraud scheme involving COVID-19 CARES Act relief benefits.

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman pleaded guilty yesterday to carrying out a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $137,000 from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA), the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL).

BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced in federal court in Boston for a scheme to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Julio Medina, Christopher Dantzler and Weihong Hu with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, honest-services wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to violate the Travel Act and the use of a facility of interstate commerce in aid of commercial bribery.

HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that Martin Kao, 51, of Honolulu, was sentenced today in federal court by Senior United States District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi to 87 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised released for COVID-relief wire fraud, money laundering, and bank fraud.

A Collin County man and a Floridian have been convicted of federal violations related to a COVID fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

BOSTON – Former Massachusetts State Senator Dean A. Tran was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for scheming to defraud the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance and collecting income that he failed to report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Mark Ethan Jermain submitted three false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications from the Slovak Republic.

Hattiesburg, MS – A Forrest County man and woman pled guilty to conspiring with each other to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Royce Newcomb, 62, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and money laundering charges today for a long-running fraud scheme where he stole $4.2 million from investors, lenders, and the federal government.

BOSTON – A Malden woman was sentenced today for fraudulently obtaining over $100,000 from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

BOSTON – Two men were arrested for allegedly submitting fraudulent information in an effort to obtain loans through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.

ATLANTA - Johnny Narcisse, and his cousin Johnson Dieujuste, have been sentenced to prison for their scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program of more than $2 million.

CINCINNATI – A woman who formerly resided in Cincinnati was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison for crimes related to pandemic relief fraud.

Tacoma – The second of two Nigerian men residing in Canada who defrauded pandemic aid programs of millions was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 54 months in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.

Yani Stancioff submitted fraudulent applications for PPP and EIDL funds for businesses he didn't own, stealing more than $51,000.

HONOLULU, Hawaii – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that on January 23, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a twelve-count indictment against Phoebe Trinh, also known as Phuong Trinh Ngoc Vo, 31, of Kapolei, Hawaii, charging Trinh with nine counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft in connection with fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance and pandemic unemployment assistance.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Willie F. Murray, Jr. (55, West Park) to five years and one month in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered Murray to forfeit $5,671,611.74 in U.S. currency, $1,578,925.56 from a bank account, and six real properties located in Punta Gorda, Fort Lauderdale, Belle Glade, Hollywood, and South Bay, Florida, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Murray entered a guilty plea on September 20, 2024.

Earlier today, at the federal court in Central Islip, an indictment was unsealed charging Keith Williams, Janine Davis, Morais Dicks, James Hames, Jr., Jamari Lewis, Ewendra Mathurin, and Tiffany Williams with conspiracy to defraud the United States, wire fraud, and aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns.

ATLANTA - Boeroepae Jordan has been sentenced to a new term in prison for defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program of more than $323,000, less than a year after being released from federal prison for firearms and drug crimes.

A Mansfield businesswoman was sentenced today to more than 7 years in federal prison in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain approximately $8.5 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.

BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining and misusing COVID-19 relief funds and stealing Social Security benefits totaling over $200,000.

Meghan Martell, 33, submitted an application for a PPP loan, falsely stating she was the sole proprietor of a beauty salon with gross income in 2019 of $99,870 and submitting fraudulent documentation in support of the application.

HONOLULU – On January 9, 2025, Senior United States District Judge J. Michael Seabright sentenced Christopher A. Mazzei, 46, and Erin V. Mazzei, 43, both of Arroyo Grande, California, to 36 months and 27 months of imprisonment, respectively, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud the government of forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds intended for Coronavirus-related relief.

Tyree Jones, 32, conspired with others to exploit the COVID19 pandemic by submitting fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds.

An Orange County man and part-time actor was sentenced today to 98 months in federal prison for soliciting investors in companies that marketed what in fact were a bogus cure and treatment for COVID-19 during the pandemic’s early days.

Darmani Hawkins, 21, of Aurora, was sentenced to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud; conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and mail theft as part of schemes to fraudulently obtain COVID-era state unemployment benefits and, separately, to steal checks from the mail, alter them, and deposit them.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging two Maryland men on federal charges related to a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million in unemployment insurance benefits. On February 1, 2024, a grand jury returned a sealed indictment of Daiwor Woah-Tee, age 51, of Belcamp, Maryland, and Dekwii Woah-Tee, age 46, of Rosedale, Maryland with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft, respectively, relating to a scheme to obtain more than $1,000,000 in unemployment insurance benefits. The indictment was unsealed upon the...

BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston after being convicted of fraudulently obtaining pandemic-related relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Melvin Thompson Jr., 34, of Chestertown, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return in connection with submitting fraudulent loan applications.

An indictment accuses Steven Hendren of submitting fraudulent applications for rental assistance to the Missouri Housing Development Commission.