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Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Over $1 Million in COVID-19 Relief and Unemployment Compensation
On Nov. 15, Conrad Brandon Bernard, 24, pled guilty in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to committing bank fraud and identity theft during a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $1 million in Covid-19 relief loans and unemployment compensation payments.
Las Vegas Woman Pleads Guilty To Committing Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud While On Pretrial Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman pleaded guilty today to using a California Employment Development Department (EDD) unemployment insurance benefits debit card in another person’s name without the person’s authorization.
SBA’s Oversight of Non-Bank Lenders and Third-Party Service Providers Associated with PPP Loans
Over 5,300 lenders, including bank and non-bank lenders, participated in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), an $813.7 billion program that provided forgivable loans to eligible borrowers. The primary distinction between the two is that non-bank lenders are not federally regulated. Both were allowed to partner with third-party service providers to assist in the PPP loan process. We assessed the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) oversight of non-bank lenders, including financial technology (fintech), and third-party service providers in the PPP. Opportunities exist for SBA to...
Federal Employee Indicted for Covid Fraud
A North Carolina woman was indicted by a federal grand jury today for fraudulently obtaining a $20,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Committing $144,000 in COVID-19 Fraud
Henry Ellard Jr., 39, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to stealing $144,000 in COVID-19 relief money.
San Bernardino County Woman and Man Arrested on Indictment Alleging $2.1 Million Scheme to Illegally Get COVID Jobless Benefits
Two San Bernardino County residents were arrested today on a nine-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they fraudulently obtained more than $2.1 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds by submitting more than 120 fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits using stolen identities, including those of California state prisoners.
Approved Disaster Assistance Loans Matching COVID‐19 EIDLs and PPP Loans with Fraud Hold Codes
The Office of Inspector General is issuing this evaluation report to determine whether the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved disaster loan applications with related Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) or Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans with fraud hold codes.In October 2022, SBA established an informal review process to match disaster assistance loan applications to pandemic loans that had fraud hold codes based on taxpayer identification numbers. In August 2023, the agency began transitioning to a new system that uses fraud...
Bellair Man Indicted For Covid Loan Fraud Using Deceased Former Business Partner’s Identity
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Stephen L. Gurba (68, Belleair) with wire fraud, making a false statement to a financial institution, and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Gurba faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of wire fraud (2 counts), 30 years in prison on the false statement count, and a 2-year mandatory term of imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft counts (2 counts). The indictment also notifies Gurba that the United States intends to forfeit approximately $1.2 million, which...
Jury Convicts San Diego Man in $35 Million Dollar Securities Fraud and COVID-Relief Fraud Scheme
SAN DIEGO – After an eight-day trial, a federal jury has convicted Denny Thakorbhai Bhakta on all 25 counts of securities fraud, bank fraud and money laundering in connection with a $35 million dollar investment fraud scheme and COVID-relief fraud scheme.
Former Miami-Dade Corrections Officer Pled Guilty to $150,000 COVID-19 Fraud
Yesterday, Daniel Fleureme, 56, of Miami-Dade County, a former Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (MDCRD) Corrections Officer, pled guilty to wire fraud for defrauding a COVID-19 relief program by fraudulently obtaining an Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
St. Louis County Woman Accused of Three Different Frauds
Shirley Waller has been accused of aiding a romance fraud conspiracy and committing a nearly $40,000 pandemic relief loan fraud as well as a separate mortgage fraud.
Mortgage Broker Admits to Running a Ponzi Scheme, Fraudulently Acquiring CARES Act Loans, Filing a False Tax Return
PROVIDENCE, RI – United States Attorney Zachry A. Cunha announced today that a Rhode Island mortgage broker who purported to match borrowers seeking short-term loans with private lenders seeking high rates of return admitted to a federal judge that he misappropriated more than $1.5 million dollars of investors’ funds by using the money to repay earlier investors, support his own international investment opportunities, and to cover personal expenses.
New Jersey Man Convicted for Stealing COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits
TRENTON N.J. – A New York man was convicted for conspiring to illegally obtain over $570,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits.
Florida Company Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Sell Misbranded N95 Masks to Hospital in Early Months of COVID-19 Pandemic
BOSTON – A Florida company, and two individuals associated with the company, have pleaded guilty to charges associated with shipping facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators, and price gouging hospitals, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rockledge Man Pleads Guilty To COVID-19 Fraud
Orlando, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Robert William Burns, III (44, Rockledge) has pleaded guilty to COVID-19-related wire fraud. Burns faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Yukon-Koyukuk School District’s Use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (Alaska)
We performed this review to determine whether the Yukon-Koyukuk School District’s (Alaska) expended Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant funds for allowable purposes in accordance with applicable requirements. We determined that all of the ESSER expenditures we reviewed for the Yukon-Koyukuk School District (Yukon-Koyukuk) were allowable. However, we found that Yukon-Koyukuk did not comply with key competitive procurement process or documentation requirements when procuring the goods or services associated with three (38 percent) of eight non-personnel expenditures...
California Company Charged with Conspiring to Sell Misbranded N95 Masks to Hospital in Early Months of COVID-19 Pandemic
BOSTON – A California company, and three individuals who owned and managed the company, have been charged and have agreed to plead guilty to charges relating to the shipment of facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
Windsor Mill Woman Sentenced To Over Five Years’ Imprisonment In Connection With Conspiracy Involving Fraudulently Obtaining And Attempting To Obtain More Than $3 Million In Covid-19 Cares Act Loans
Baltimore, Maryland – On October 23, 2024, Tomeka Glenn, a/k/a “Tomeka Harris” and “Tomeka Davis,” age 47, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, was sentenced by United States District Judge Richard D. Bennett to 65 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release in connection with her conviction on conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to the submission of millions of dollars in fraudulent COVID-19 CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications. Judge Bennett also directed Glenn to pay restitution in the amount of $3,016,275.62.
Federal Jury Convicts Two Former Broward Deputy Sheriffs of COVID-19 Relief Fraud
On Oct. 23, a federal jury in Miami convicted Tracy Wade, 51 and Carolyn Wade, 49, both former deputy sheriffs with the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to make false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA), and making false statements to the SBA, all in connection with obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans based on false information.
Two Inland Empire Women Arrested on Indictment Alleging $3.5 Million Scheme to Defraud COVID-19 Business Loan Program
Two Riverside County women were arrested today on a 23-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they and two men schemed to defraud a COVID-19 pandemic-relief program out of more than $3 million by helping others fraudulently obtain COVID business loans in exchange for a cut of the illicit proceeds.
Postal Employee Arrested For COVID Relief Fraud
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Marina Tusca Brooks Stewart (61, Groveland) on an indictment charging her with one count of wire fraud related to COVID relief. If convicted, Brooks Stewart faces up to 20 years in federal prison. In addition, she faces a forfeiture order of $10,000, which represents the alleged proceeds she obtained through this offense.
Orange County Supervisor Agrees to Plead Guilty to Bribery Conspiracy Involving $10 Million in COVID Relief Funds
The District One Supervisor on the Orange County Board of Supervisors has agreed to plead guilty to a felony federal charge for accepting more than $550,000 in bribes for directing and voting in favor of more than $10 million in COVID funds to a charity affiliated with one of his daughters, Rhiannon Do, the Justice Department announced today.
Del Mar Fairgrounds Agrees to Pay $5.6 Million to Settle Allegations Over Pandemic-Related Loan
SAN DIEGO – The 22nd District Agricultural Association (DAA), which owns and operates the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego County, and Carlene Moore, the chief executive officer of the 22nd DAA, have agreed to pay $5,664,015 to settle allegations that the 22nd DAA was not eligible for the $4,713,700 Paycheck Protection Program loan that it obtained.
Jacksonville Woman Indicted For Credit Scheme And COVID Relief Fraud Involving The Paycheck Protection Program
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Carnisha Maurica Rogers (30, Jacksonville) with four counts involving conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, and four counts of false representation of a Social Security number involving a line of credit scheme and COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Rogers faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count involving wire fraud and up to 5 years in federal prison on each count involving the false representation of a Social Security number...
Three Indicted for Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud Conspiracy
A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Ricky Lee Ware, 41; Kimberly Ann Wallace, 28, of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Carlos Lee Sanchez Jr., 44, of Sacramento, charging them with conspiring to commit access device fraud and access device fraud.
Bank Manager Sentenced to 65 Months in Prison for Coordinating Multistate COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud Scheme
CAMDEN, N.J. – A former branch manager of a national financial institution was sentenced today to 65 months in prison for using his position to organize a conspiracy to help individuals obtain at least 38 fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling approximately $5 million.
Lancaster man sentenced for COVID relief fraud
U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Larry Jordan, 45, of Lancaster, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud for his participation in a scheme to file fraudulent loan applications seeking forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, joined the announcement. # # # #
Portland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Pandemic Unemployment Benefits
A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for stealing more than $147,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits from the Oregon Employment Department (OED).
Former Monmouth County Resident Admits Fraudulently Obtaining over $3.7 Million in Cares Act Loans
NEWARK, N.J. – A former resident of Monmouth County admitted his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds.
St. Louis County Woman Sentenced for $100,000 Pandemic Loan Fraud
Camille Foster fraudulently obtained five Paycheck Protection Program loans between May 2020 and November 2021.
Report on the Most Serious Management and Performance Challenges by Office of Inspector General FY2025
This report represents our current assessment of the U.S. Small Business Administration's programs and activities that pose significant risks, including those that are particularly vulnerable to fraud, waste, error, mismanagement, or inefficiencies. The Challenges are not presented in order of priority, as we believe that all are critical management or performance issues.
Owner of Tax Preparation Company Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and $2.1 Million COVID Relief Fraud
BOSTON – A Lawrence woman was sentenced in federal court in Boston for using stolen identities of taxpayers and businesspeople to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a bank, and the Small Business Administration (SBA).