Search

This PRAC fraud prevention alert focused on some of the largest pandemic relief programs: the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (COVID-19 EIDL) program and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Department of Labor’s (DOL) pandemic-related Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs. In 2023, the SBA Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the DOL OIG estimated that the total amount of fraud and improper payments for these programs is nearly $400 billion. In this alert, the PRAC estimates the amount of potential fraud across these programs stemming from...

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.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Carnisha Maurica Rogers (30, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of false representation of a Social Security number (SSN) involving a line of credit scheme, and one count of wire fraud involving COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Rogers faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count involving wire fraud, up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the false representation of an SSN count, and payment of restitution to the victims she...

NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that NIPUN DESAI (“DESAI”), formerly of Hammond, La., but now a California resident, age 56, was sentenced to 12 months plus one day by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter for making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that TRACIE L. MIXON (“MIXON”), age 43, of Hammond, LA, was sentenced on May 27, 2025 to two (2) years in prison by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, after previously pleading guilty to making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Joseph Giannini, 54, of Chicago, IL, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Four labor organizations have agreed to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by applying for and obtaining loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for which they knew or should have known they were ineligible. The United States contended that these organization caused the Small Business Administration (SBA) to pay loan forgiveness, in addition to interest and processing fees, to financial institutions that processed the loans.