Search

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Andra Shirone Thompson, 48, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to a year and a day for two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Thompson pled guilty to conspiring to defraud Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act loan programs and his role in a years-long scheme to defraud commercial equipment financing companies

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett, today, sentenced Joseph Gillespie, age 35, of Baltimore City, Maryland, to four years in federal prison and three years of supervised release in connection with a bribery scheme and conspiracy to commit wire fraud scheme involving COVID-19 CARES Act relief benefits.

Baltimore, Maryland –Senior United States District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Ayaz Qureshi, age 55, of Severna Park, Maryland to a year and a day in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, in connection with a conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting financial institutions, relating to more than $250,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) benefits. PPP benefits were a program created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans...

Greenbelt, Maryland – On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, the Honorable Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Rudolph Brooks, age 48, of Cheltenham, Maryland, to 18 months in federal prison followed by 2 years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining over $3.5 million in COVID-19 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans. The Court also ordered Brooks to forfeit all property and assets derived from or obtained as a result of his criminal activity, including a 2018 Tesla Model 3, property located in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and at least $2,231...

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, United States District Judge Richard Bennett sentenced Ahmed Sary, age 46, of Baltimore, Maryland to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and one year of home detention, in connection with a conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting financial institutions, relating to the submission of more than $17.9 million in fraudulent CARES Act loan applications. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from...

A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act loan programs and to his role in a years-long scheme to defraud commercial equipment financing companies.

Theodore Mouzon, age 42, of Pikesville, Maryland pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, relating to the submission of fraudulent CARES Act loan applications. Co-defendant Yannice Nunez, age 34, of Baltimore County, Maryland, pleaded guilty to the same charge on January 4, 2024. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Reginald Alphonso Hopkins, age 52, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, today to two years in federal prison, followed by one year of home confinement as part of three years of supervised release, for a wire fraud conspiracy relating to the submission of fraudulent claims for the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused...

Used CARES Act Loan Proceeds to Purchase a Mercedes-Benz and to Lease and Fully Furnish a Luxury Apartment in Downtown Baltimore U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Lawrence A. Walker, age 64, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 24 months in federal prison, followed by 6 months of home confinement, and 3 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and fraudulently obtaining more than $262,000 through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), intended to provide financial assistance to small businesses under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (...

Ahmed Sary, age 45, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting financial institutions, relating to the submission of more than $17.9 million in fraudulent CARES Act loan applications. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jeffrey Bearden, age 47, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement on a loan application relating to the submission of fraudulent CARES Act loan applications. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baltimore, Maryland – Reginald Alphonso Hopkins, age 52, of Prince George's County, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to the submission of fraudulent claims for the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, enacted to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Justice Department announced today the results of a coordinated, nationwide enforcement action to combat COVID-19 fraud, which included 718 enforcement actions – including federal criminal charges against 371 defendants – for offenses related to over $836 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud.

A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging David Epstein, age 45, of Owings Mills, Maryland, for wire fraud and money laundering, relating to the submission of fraudulent COVID-19 CARES Act loan applications. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment was filed on June 24, 2023, and unsealed today at Epstein’s initial appearance.

U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang today sentenced Jerry Phillips, a/k/a “Tian Juzo,” age 25, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and illegal possession of a machine gun, related to a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million in COVID-19 CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program loan applications (“PPP”), Economic Injury Disaster loan applications (“EIDL”), and unemployment insurance claims. Judge Chuang also ordered Phillips to pay restitution of $1,235...

Jaleel Phillips, age 25, of Capital Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal wire fraud conspiracy, in relation to a scheme to unlawfully obtain COVID-19 relief loans and unemployment benefits.

Today the Justice Department announced the establishment of three Strike Force teams created to enhance the Department’s existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related fraud.

A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Jerry Phillips, age 24, of Temple Hills, Maryland, for the federal charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft; and Jaleel Phillips, age 24, of Temple Hills, Maryland, for wire fraud, in relation to an alleged scheme to unlawfully obtain COVID-19 relief loans and unemployment benefits.