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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.

U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Roberto Soliman, 43, of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty before Judge Meredith A. Vacca to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Following a weeklong trial, Carl Delano Torjagbo, a/k/a Karl Lucius Delano, was convicted by a federal jury of bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering after obtaining a fraudulent $9.6 million Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan and filing fraudulent tax returns that generated a $3.4 million IRS refund.

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.

U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today Hormoz Mansouri, 71, of Amherst, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and bank fraud, was sentenced to time served and five years’ supervised release, to include one year of home detention. He was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $3,197,562 and to forfeit $1,888,603.

SHARHABEEL SHREITEH, an accountant in Palos Hills, Ill., and TRACY MITCHELL, the owner of a business in Joliet, Ill., allegedly engaged in fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Mark Ethan Jermain received three loans totaling $730,550.

Trashunda M. Harrison submitted a total of nine fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection program loans.

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TEMIKA SANTEMORE, age 43, a resident of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty on September 12, 2023 before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to a two-count bill of information charging her with making false statements and theft of government funds related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Passion Lajodia Jackson (30, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. Jackson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and an order of forfeiture for at least $20,132, representing the proceeds obtained from the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Dion Rashaan Foxworth, age 42, of Washington, D.C., to 51 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for wire fraud related to an investment fraud scheme and bank fraud related to a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan. Judge Chuang also ordered Foxworth to pay restitution of $882,908.66.

U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that two brothers, Larry Jordan, 45, of Lancaster, NY, and Sutukh El a/k/a Curtis Jordan a/k/a Hugo Hurt a/k/a Hugo Hermes Hurtington, 41, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud for their participation in a scheme to file fraudulent loan applications seeking forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The charge carries a maximum...

Irvin Coats and Pamela S. Hubbard fraudulently submitted applications that resulted in three loans.

As part of a coordinated nationwide effort to fight COVID-19 fraud, the Southern District of Georgia has taken action against individuals who illegally obtained nearly $11 million in funds intended to help struggling small businesses during the global pandemic.

BOSTON – A former North Shore resident was sentenced today in connection with filing fraudulent applications for more than $660,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds and using those funds for personal expenses, including the purchase of an alpaca farm in Vermont.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Central Ohio women are charged federally with crimes related to fraudulently receiving more than $2.8 million total in covid-relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

A California man pleaded guilty yesterday to fraudulently obtaining $345,108 in COVID-19 pandemic relief loans from a financial institution and the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Tacoma – A disbarred attorney, sentenced last year to 18 months in prison for stealing from a deceased client’s estate and defrauding a friend, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and making false statements for her scheme to illegally claim COVID pandemic benefits, and lie to the government about her income, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.

MIAMI – A federal grand jury charged Emmanuel Bully, Jr., 44, of Miami-Dade County, Florida, with wire fraud. Per the indictment, Bully fraudulently obtained more than $500,000 in

NASHVILLE – John Paul Dillon, 40, of Franklin, Tennessee pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to fraud in connection with COVID-19 relief programs, mortgage fraud, and money

Regina Brand submitted fraudulent applications for rental assistance and Paycheck Protection Program loans.

SAN DIEGO – Denny Bhakta of San Diego was arraigned in federal court today on additional charges that he fraudulently obtained $4 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans through several entities he managed and controlled. Bhakta was first indicted in December 2021 for defrauding investors in his companies; a grand jury returned a superseding indictment this week that includes additional charges.

NEWARK, N.J. B A New York man was arrested this morning on charges he fraudulently obtained more than $1 million in a COVID-19 scheme.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Reginald Davis, age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, for wire fraud and money laundering relating to the submission of fraudulent COVID-19 CARES Act loan applications. Davis is the former Chief Executive Officer of Strong City Baltimore (“SCB”), established in Maryland in 2015 as a non-profit organization serving individuals, community associations, institutions, and businesses in Baltimore. The indictment was returned on August 3, 2023, and unsealed today upon the arrest of the defendant.

Lakisha Swope has been sentenced to federal prison for obtaining more than $3.6 million by submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) applications.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –Spenc’r Denard Rickerson, 36, of Claremont, N.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison followed by two years of supervised release for committing bank robbery

BOSTON – The owner of a Massachusetts-based food truck business was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for filing fraudulent loan applications in order to obtain $1.5 million in pandemic relief under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan Act.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jeannetta Blackmon, also known as Jeannetta Regan, 48, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and money laundering for obtaining more than $1.5 million

A federal jury in the Southern District of Ohio today convicted Kelli Prather, 51, of Cincinnati of crimes pertaining to her request for more than $1.2 million in pandemic relief loans. She was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals after the jury returned its guilty verdicts.

An indictment was unsealed yesterday charging a Nevada doctor and his wife with fraudulently obtaining approximately $1.3 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief loans through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Steven Andiloro, 51, of Mooresville, N.C., is facing federal charges in connection with an alleged investment fraud scheme and for fraudulently obtaining more than $2.6

NEW ORLEANS – LYNN SCHOFIELD, age 60, and BASHIR SCHOFIELD, age 23, residents of LaPlace, Louisiana, were federally charged on July 13, 2023 for preparing and filing false loan applications related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. LYNN SCHOFIELD was charged in a one-count bill of information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1343. BASHIR SCHOFIELD was charged in a one-count bill of information with wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States...

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TEMIKA SANTEMORE, age 43, currently a resident of Houston, Texas, was charged July 7, 2023 in a two-count bill of information with making false statements and theft of government funds related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

MIAMI – Samuel Harris, 43, who was a police officer with the Miami-Dade Police Department (“MDPD”), has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with his fraudulent applications

Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal jury convicted a Salt Lake County woman Thursday of two counts of making false statements designed to influence a bank, one count of money laundering, and one count of contempt.

Fourteen people who allegedly bilked the Paycheck Protection Program and numerous financial institutions out of more than $53 million in loan proceeds have been federally charged.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - On June 28, 2023, Sarrah Denton Willhite, 35, of Gatlinburg Tennessee was sentenced to 27 months in prison by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that KONRAD BICHER pled guilty today to wire fraud in connection with his fraudulent operation of real estate companies, including by entering lease agreements for residential apartment units in Manhattan on false and fraudulent pretenses and by making false statements to obtain loans guaranteed by the United States government.