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A former Wells Fargo & Co. banker and his brother have been arrested on an eight-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they schemed to fraudulently obtain more than $2.7 million in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 relief funds and federally-guaranteed small business loans, including by submitting applications using the stolen identities of developmentally disabled persons who lived in long-term care facilities, the Justice Department announced today.

OMAR RAJEH, 57, of Hamden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 15 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for defrauding COVID-19 pandemic relief programs of more than $750,000. Judge Underhill also ordered Rajeh to pay a $2,000 fine.

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.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, LINDA TRIGGS (“TRIGGS”), age 73, a resident of Marrero, pleaded guilty to making a false statement related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2).

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).

Greenbelt, Maryland – Jemel Lyles, 43, of Washington, DC, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges in federal court. In his guilty plea, Lyles admitted to submitting applications for and receiving funds from six fraudulent CARES Act loans.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the indictment and arrests of Earlisha Louis (44, Newnan, Georgia) and Somoza Louis (44, Newnan, Georgia) for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds. If convicted, each faces up to 30 years in federal prison on each count. Earlisha Louis is also charged with two counts of illegal monetary transactions. Each of those counts carry a maximum penalty of 3 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the pair that the United States intends to forfeit a...

Angelo Stephen, 33, a former Federal Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer, and George Arestuche, 47, a former Miami-Dade County Aviation Department employee, were sentenced in separate cases after pleading guilty to defrauding COVID-19 relief programs.