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Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Don V. Cisternino (47, Chuluota) to eight years and six months in federal prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegal monetary transaction. The court also ordered Cisternino to forfeit a total of $1,071,923.98 seized from five different bank accounts, which are funds traceable to proceeds of the offense. In addition, the court entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $7.21 million, which represents the total proceeds obtained by Cisternino from the wire fraud scheme. The court also ordered Cisternino...

A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Tomeka Glenn, age 46, and Kevin Davis, age 42, both of Windsor Mill, Maryland, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, relating to the submission of fraudulent COVID-19 CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications and their receipt of over $300,000 in fraudulently obtained funds. The complaint was filed December 16, 2022, and unsealed today upon the arrests of the defendants.

A Texas return preparer pleaded guilty to engaging in a multi-year conspiracy to prepare and file false tax returns on behalf of clients and obtaining a fraudulent loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The proceeding was held before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske.

Grand Rapids man sentenced to 87 months for role in conspiracy to obtain more than $1 million in COVID-19 relief funds.

PROVIDENCE – A Providence man today admitted to a federal judge that he participated in a conspiracy to fraudulently submit online applications in his name and in the names of other persons to collect COVID-related unemployment benefits from at least seven states, and that he did so while serving a term of federal supervised release that followed his conviction and incarceration for sex trafficking, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Christopher A. Parris, 42, formerly of Rochester, New York, and currently of Lawrenceville, Georgia, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud related to a Ponzi scheme, as well as to wire fraud involving the fraudulent sale of purported N95 masks during the pandemic, was sentenced to serve 244 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr.

Dana Lamar Antonio Hayes, Jr., age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal wire fraud charge related to a scheme to obtain a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Relief loan application (EIDL loan) and several Paycheck Protection Plan loan applications (PPP loans), under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, from two financial institutions (Bank1 and Bank 2).

A Beverly Hills father and son were sentenced today to federal prison terms for defrauding government programs designed to help businesses survive the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Henry Troy Wade (45, Ocala) with six counts of wire fraud related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. In addition, the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture for at least $524,400, which represents the proceeds of the conduct charged in the indictment.

Three locals associated with Jesus Survives Ministries have admitted to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud

A federal grand jury returned indictments on Tuesday alleging fraud against five people in connection with COVID-19. United State Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced that charges have been filed against individuals alleged to have improperly benefitted from funds appropriated by Congress in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment adding two new defendants to the nine defendants previously charged in relation to a Maryland and California unemployment insurance scheme. The superseding indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and stealing a post office key. The superseding indictment was returned on November 30, 2022.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jacob Deandre Byrd (20, Lake City) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving COVID Relief Fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program. Byrd faces up to 20 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the United States government. Byrd has agreed to forfeit $20,833, representing the proceeds of the offense.

A downtown Los Angeles man was found guilty today by a jury of federal criminal charges for fraudulently obtaining more than $150,000 – and attempted to obtain an additional $1.85 million – in COVID-relief loans for several companies he claimed to own and operate.

Jaleel Phillips, age 25, of Capital Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal wire fraud conspiracy, in relation to a scheme to unlawfully obtain COVID-19 relief loans and unemployment benefits.

A Riverside County man was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for using hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for personal expenses such as luxury cars after he obtained a COVID-business relief loan for more than $7 million on behalf of his pothole-repair company.

A former Amtrak employee pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for conspiring with her husband to steal nearly $1 million in COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and for fraudulently obtaining more than $63,000 in sickness benefits while she worked at Amtrak.

PROVIDENCE – A Coventry woman today admitted to a federal judge that she fraudulently applied for and received more than $17,000 in unemployment benefits provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.

BOSTON – A Michigan man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme to obtain COVID-19-related unemployment assistance and small business loans in 12 different states.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man who filed a fraudulent application for unemployment benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, and received more than $7,000 in ill-gotten payments, was sentenced on Tuesday to thirty days of incarceration to be followed by three months home confinement, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.

BOSTON – A Stoughton man was sentenced on Nov. 4, 2022 in federal court in Boston in connection with filing a fraudulent loan application in order to obtain over $400,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds.

DES MOINES, IA – A Woodward man was sentenced on Thursday, October 20, 2022, to 12 months and one day in prison for wire fraud and false statements to the United States Small Business Association (SBA).

Denver - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Edward Baker Harrington, age 59, of Idaho Springs, was arrested after being indicted by a federal grand jury for wire fraud and money laundering.