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Bloomington Woman Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Prison for $7.1 Million Fraud Scheme
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Bloomington woman was sentenced to 90 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4.7 million in restitution for
USBR Employee Wrongfully Obtained Unemployment Insurance/Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
We found that a USBR employee wrongfully obtained $28,524 in combined Unemployment Insurance and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.
COVID-19—Farmers to Families Food Box Program Administration
In our final report, we assessed the controls Agricultural Marketing Service developed and implemented to ensure awardees fulfilled the obligations of their contracts.
Metro Atlanta man charged with laundering funds from COVID-19 unemployment relief and submitting fraudulent EIDL loan application
Austin Martin Siampwizi has been arraigned on federal charges of concealment money laundering, money laundering conspiracy, and wire fraud.
Three Year Manhunt for an Alleged Fake Doctor Selling an Unproven Coronavirus Cure Ends with Utah Fugitive Behind Bars
Salt Lake City, Utah – A Utah resident and three-year fugitive was arrested in Utah County on federal charges after fleeing from federal law enforcement in 2020.
San Diego Man Charged with $4 Million Covid-Related Loan Fraud and Money Laundering
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.
Former Miami-Dade Corrections Sergeant Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Fraud
MIAMI – Arashio Harris, 48, who was a Corrections Sergeant with the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (“MDCRD”), has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with his
Luzerne County Woman Pleads Guilty To Preparing And Submitting Numerous False Economic Injury Disaster Loan (Eidl) Applications In Covid-19 Fraud Scheme
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Angela Castillo, age 39, of Freeland, PA, pleaded guilty on August 9
Rhode Island Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Theft and Misuse of COVID-19 Pandemic Assistance
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme to obtain and misuse COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.
Wood County Man Sentenced for Unlawfully Obtaining Unemployment and COVID-19 Benefits
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Daniel Satow, 33, of Davisville, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $21,238 in restitution for unlawfully obtaining unemployment
New York Man Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1 Million
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.
Former Chief Executive Officer of Strong City Baltimore Facing Federal Indictment for Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1.4 Million in COVID-19 Cares Act Loans
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.
South Carolina Woman and Florida Woman Sentenced in COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Nariman Mahmoud Masoud, 35, of Florence, South Carolina, and Susan Masoud, 34, of Tampa, Florida, were sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to unemployment insurance benefits.
Georgia woman sentenced to nearly four years in prison for multi-million dollar COVID-19 relief fraud
Lakisha Swope has been sentenced to federal prison for obtaining more than $3.6 million by submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) applications.
Charleston Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Aalik Wilsher, 26, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation and ordered to pay $20,459.33 in restitution for receipt of stolen
Owner of Area Restaurant Sentenced to the Bureau of Prisons and Ordered to Pay Restitution for Crimes Related to COVID-Relief Funds
PEORIA, Ill. – A Saint Augustine, Illinois man, Michael Lewis Patch, 66, of the 100 block of West Third Street, has been sentenced to 90 days in the Bureau of Prisons, five years of Supervised Release, and to pay more than $64,000 in restitution.
Two New York Men Admit Fentanyl Distribution
NEWARK, NJ. – Two New York men today admitted their roles in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy, and one of the men also admitted conspiring with seven separately charged individuals to defraud multiple states to obtain COVID-19 unemployment benefits.
Myrtle Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Tax Fraud
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA —Troy Benjamin Bittner, 54, of Myrtle Beach, has pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
Former local bakery owner sentenced to 6 years in prison for stealing identity of deceased baby & committing $1.5M in pandemic relief fraud
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus woman was sentenced in federal court today to 72 months in prison for committing 16 counts of wire and passport fraud. The defendant stole the identity of a baby who died as an infant and used the infant’s identity to obtain a passport, a student pilot license, a job as a flight attendant, and pandemic relief loans.
Ohio Woman Sentenced to 6 Months in Federal Prison After Filing False CARES Act Claims to Steal More than $200,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Benefits
INDIANAPOLIS- Brianna Yerkey, 21, of Struthers, Ohio, has been sentenced to 6 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. According to court documents, beginning in
Commerce Township Man Pleads Guilty in Pandemic Loan Fraud Scheme
DETROIT - A Commerce Township resident pleaded guilty today to orchestrating a fraud scheme involving approximately $851,000 in loans intended to help small businesses stay afloat during the
Two Charged with Defrauding Buyer of Personal Protective Equipment During Height of Covid-19 Pandemic
NEW ORLEANS – On August 2, 2023, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the charging of FRANK LABRUZZO and CYNTHIA CARONNA for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 371.
Maryland Doctor Convicted After Three-Week Trial for COVID-19 Healthcare Fraud Scheme
A federal jury in Maryland convicted Ron Elfenbein, M.D., age 49, of Arnold, Maryland, for five counts of healthcare fraud for submitting over $15 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and other insurers for patients who received COVID-19 tests at sites operated by the defendant. Elfenbein is the first doctor convicted at trial by the Justice Department for health care fraud in billing for office visits in connection with patients seeking COVID-19 tests.
Audit of the Administration of Grant Payments Received under the Help America Vote Act – Tennessee
The audit will cover the expenditures and obligations of HAVA Requirement Payments, Election Security grants, and the CARES Act grants from the date of award through March 31, 2023. The objectives are to determine 1) if the State used funds for authorized purposed in accordance with requirements; 2) properly accounted for and controlled property purchased with HAVA payments; and (3) used the funds in a manner consistent with the informational plans provided to EAC.
Baltimore County Businessman Facing Federal Charges for Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1.3 Million in COVID-19 CARES Act Loans
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.
Dudley Man Sentenced to Prison for Theft and Misuse of COVID-19 Pandemic Assistance
BOSTON – A Dudley man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme to obtain and misuse COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.
St. Louis County Man Admits $149,900 Pandemic Loan Fraud
Cecil Jones submitted a fraudulent online application with a photograph of a counterfeit Missouri driver’s license.
Chalmette Man Pleads Guilty to Cares Act Fraud
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA -- U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JULIO A. GONZALEZ, JR. of Chalmette, LA, has plead guilty on July 26, 2023 to one-count of making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.
Audit of the Help America Vote Act Grants Awarded to the State of Alaska
EAC OIG, through the independent public accounting firm of McBride, Lock & Associates, LLC, audited $15.2 million in funds received by the State of Alaska under the Help America Vote Act. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Alaska: 1) used funds for authorized purposes in accordance with Section 101 and Section 251 of HAVA and other applicable requirements; 2) properly accounted for and controlled property purchased with HAVA payments; and 3) used the funds in a manner consistent with the informational plans provided to EAC. The audit...
Eleven Charged in $4.5 Million Dollar Pandemic Fraud Scheme
DETROIT - Eleven residents of southeast Michigan have been charged in a 23-count indictment for their alleged role in a multi-million-dollar unemployment insurance fraud scheme targeting funds set
Kanawha County Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Imeesha Bradley, 27, of South Charleston, pleaded guilty today to receipt of stolen money. Bradley admitted to a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program
Catawba Co. Man Is Sentenced For Bank Robbery, COVID-19 Fraud, And Aggravated Identity Theft
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
Federal Student Aid’s Use of Pandemic Assistance Student Aid Administration Funds
We found that as of November 30, 2022, FSA obligated nearly 100 percent of the $161.1 million in appropriations it received for pandemic assistance student aid administration funds. Nine FSA business units obligated approximately $157.8 million (98 percent) of the total pandemic assistance student aid administration funds, with one business unit, the Next Gen FSA Program Office, accounting for 78 percent of the obligations. The pandemic assistance student aid administration funds were used for personnel compensation and benefits, information technology systems and services contracts, and...
Performance Audit of the Illinois Department of Employment Security Unemployment Insurance Programs
On September 1, 2021, the Legislative Audit Commission adopted Resolution Number 158 requiring a performance audit of the unemployment programs administered by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) during the period of March 1, 2020, to September 6, 2021. The audit found that overpayments (which include fraud, non-fraud, and identity theft) were an issue in both the regular UI and PUA programs. IDES reported overpayments for FY20 to FY22 that totaled $5.24 billion; regular UI accounted for $2.04 billion and PUA accounted for $3.20 billion. Considering gross benefits associated...
Follow Up: Arizona School Districts' and Charter Schools', and ADE's Discretionary, COVID-19 Federal Relief Spending - In Fiscal Year 2022 and in Total Through June 30, 2022
This special report provides summary information and four interactive dashboards with Arizona school districts' and chart schools' reported spending in fiscal year 2022 and in total through June 30, 2022, and planned future spending of allocated/awarded COVID-19 federal relief monies as required by law. In total, districts and charters reported spending $2.2 billion, or almost half of their relief monies through June 30, 2022.
Springfield Business Owner Pleads Guilty to $14 Million Fraud Scheme
A Springfield, Mo., business owner has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a nearly $14 million wire fraud conspiracy that utilized his businesses, as well as fake businesses, to fraudulently receive loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Monroe County Man Charged With Committing Over $2.2 Million In Covid-19 Pandemic Fraud
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Brian J. Albelli, age 45, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and formerly of Deerfield
Luzerne County Man Charged With Committing $350,000 In Covid-19 Pandemic Fraud
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Daniel Wasielewski, age 58, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was charged on July 28
New Jersey Tax Preparer Arrested for Fraudulently Seeking over $124 Million in COVID-19 Employment Tax Credits
NEWARK N.J. – A New Jersey tax preparer was arrested today for fraudulently seeking more than $124 million from the IRS by filing over 1,000 false tax forms claiming COVID-19-related employment tax credits.
HUD’s Assistance and Grantee Challenges With the Office of Native American Programs’ COVID-19 Recovery Programs
We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Native American Programs’ (ONAP) coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) recovery programs. We performed this audit to provide HUD with insight and a nationwide perspective on the challenges that grantees experienced with those programs. Our audit objectives were to identify 1) the information, guidance, and training HUD provided to the grantees for the ONAP COVID-19 recovery programs and 2) the challenges that grantees faced in implementing and using program-provided funding.HUD provided information, guidance, and...
Brother, Sister, and Two Others Charged in Multi-Million Dollar Pandemic Fraud Scheme
DETROIT - A Detroit area brother and sister, along with two other individuals, have been charged in a criminal complaint for their alleged role in a multi-million-dollar unemployment
CEO Of Paycheck Protection Program Lender MBE Capital Sentenced To 54 Months In Prison In Connection With Fraudulent Loan And Lender Applications
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that RAFAEL MARTINEZ was sentenced to 54 months in prison for his role in a scheme to submit fraudulent loan and lender applications related to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”).
Former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty To COVID Relief Fraud
Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Deconna Burke (34, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving COVID Relief Fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program. Burke faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the United States government. No sentencing date has been set.