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“This defendant used fraud and deceit on an extraordinary scale to exploit government programs designed to keep struggling small businesses afloat during an unprecedented public health crisis,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence sends a strong message to all those who saw the public response to the COVID-19 pandemic as little more than a get-rich-quick scheme: this Office will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”

Tacoma – A 45-year-old Nigerian citizen who defrauded U.S. COVID relief programs from his home in Canada, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 42 months in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.

NEWARK, N.J. – Three individuals were charged today for falsely seeking more than $2.9 billion from the IRS by filing 131 false tax forms claiming COVID-19 related employment tax credits.

Raisha Kelly, 43, and Widny Thibaud, 44, of Loxahatchee, Florida and Cortira Gray, 33, and Ann Gilchrist, 55 of Miami, Florida have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud wire fraud in connection with their submission of false and fraudulent PPP loan applications.

Two former City of Miami Police Department (MPD) employees pled guilty for their involvement in separate COVID-19 relief fraud cases.

On March 7, Andre Lorquet, 39, of Miami, Florida was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief loans and grants under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Relief Program (EIDL), and the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant (SVOG).

A California man made his initial appearance in Alexandria, Virginia, today to face charges for a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $10 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act loans.

On March 5, a federal jury in Fort Lauderdale convicted a Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) deputy of two counts of wire fraud for her COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.

U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that James Okolo, 61, of West Orange, New Jersey, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was sentenced to 12 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.