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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.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Harold Dotson, 54, of Gaithersburg Maryland, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release — including six months of home confinement — in connection with a conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting financial institutions. The fraud involved submitting more than $24 million in fraudulent CARES Act loan applications.

A Visalia construction company CEO was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging that he fraudulently obtained more than $4 million in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 relief funds and federally guaranteed small business loans.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Terrance Bradford (46, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to eight counts of wire fraud. Bradford faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Five Rio Grande Valley residents have been indicted for wire fraud in a scheme involving the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program

Rena Barrett, a former Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loan officer, pled guilty on August 11, 2025 to making false statements to the SBA in connection with applications for more than $550,000 in fraudulent COVID-19 pandemic loans.

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Carie Hallford, 48, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that more than $2.5 million was collected from a real estate developer and part-time resident of Vancouver, Washington, for fraudulently obtained Covid-relief program funds.

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jon M. Hallford, 45, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,070,413.74 in restitution for a conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

A federal jury convicted Stephanie Hockridge, a founder of the lender service provider Blueacorn, on Friday in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).