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Freddy Urribarri, 42, and Mairilin Munoz 39, have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with their submission of false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. Both defendants are Venezuelan nationals who were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allowed them to remain in the United States temporarily after they had entered the country. They were living in Dania Beach, Fl. at the time of their arrests.

Shahied Golden was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison. He was also ordered to pay $24,090.82 in restitution.

VINCENZO MINUTOLO, 38, of Shelton, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to offenses related to his fraudulent receipt of COVID-19 relief funds.

SAN DIEGO – Thomas Zolezzi of San Diego pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he committed fraud to obtain almost $3 million intended to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In his plea agreement, Zolezzi admitted he submitted five loan applications containing false statements to trick lenders into providing the relief funds. He used the borrowed funds to pay his personal expenses. As part of his guilty plea, Zolezzi agreed to pay restitution of $700,884.75 to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and $2,238,910.24 to Capital Plus Financial.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Kiln, Mississippi man pled guilty to wire fraud related to the COVID pandemic.

BOSTON – A Dominican National residing in Boston was arrested today for allegedly using others’ identities to fraudulently obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits.

A Florida tax preparer was charged in an indictment filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania yesterday with scheming to fraudulently obtain more than $7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and pre-pandemic Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, and to launder the proceeds of the illegal scheme.

BOSTON – A former New Bedford man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston on federal wire fraud charges arising from claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) funds.

BOSTON – Two former owners of massage parlors have been charged in connection with filing for and obtaining fraudulent pandemic-related loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act for their respective illicit businesses where workers engaged in commercial sex acts with customers.

A former California Employment Development Department (EDD) employee has agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal charge for causing nearly 200 fraudulent COVID-related unemployment relief claims to be filed in other people’s names, resulting in more than $1.6 million in ill-gotten gains, the Justice Department announced today.

Christopher A. Parris, 41, formerly of Rochester, New York, and currently of Lawrenceville, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to 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.

BOSTON – A Miami woman was arrested today in connection with allegedly filing and obtaining fraudulent pandemic-related loans and using those funds for personal expenses.

BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with selling lanyards that falsely claimed to protect against viruses.

Fort Myers, Florida – A federal jury today found Casey David Crowther (35, Fort Myers) guilty of bank fraud, making a false statement to a lending institution, and two counts of money laundering. Crowther faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for the bank fraud and false statement charges, and up to 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering charge. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas has obtained a temporary restraining order preventing a DFW chiropractor from touting sham treatments for COVID-19.

A Georgia woman who sold an unregistered pesticide, which she claimed protected against viruses such as COVID-19, has pleaded guilty to violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

BOSTON – A Malden man was charged today with identity fraud and with submitting fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The federal PUA program provides unemployment-related benefits to individuals who have been impacted by COVID-19.

A San Fernando Valley man now believed to have fled the United States today faces federal criminal charges today for allegedly obtaining more than $860,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for a shell company and then transferring the bulk of his illicit gains to his personal bank accounts.

The United States Department of Justice announced today that it has obtained a Temporary Restraining Order in federal court to combat fraud related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The enforcement action, filed in Tampa, Florida, is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts prioritizing the detection, investigation, and prosecution of illegal conduct related to the pandemic. The action was brought based on an investigation conducted by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in coordination with the Vietnam Ministry of...