Four Michigan Residents Charged with COVID-Relief Fraud
A criminal information was docketed Tuesday charging four Michigan residents in connection with a wire fraud scheme involving over $4.1
Read moreA criminal information was docketed Tuesday charging four Michigan residents in connection with a wire fraud scheme involving over $4.1
Read morePrice pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 29 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and 10 years in prison for each count of money
Read more“The Paycheck Protection Program helps businesses keep their workforces employed during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine for the Northern District of Georgia. “When these funds are diverted by fraud, such as in this case, workers and the businesses that employ them unfortunately suffer.”
Read moreEtuk’s wife, Teosha Etuk, also fraudulently applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans. She pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on April 6, 2021. She was sentenced on July 19, 2021, to one year and a day in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. She was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $150,000 to First Liberty Bank.
Read moreTran is charged with six counts of wire fraud and three counts of bank fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison as to each count of bank fraud, and 20 years in prison as to each count of wire fraud. The court also may order additional assessments, forfeiture, and restitution; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of
Read moreUnder Johansson’s direction, Western Distribution LLC immediately spent its PPP funds in May and June 2020, in large part on expenses unrelated to its payroll. Rather than use the funds to keep the company’s employees on staff, Johansson laid off most of the company’s employees, but rehired many of them in late 2020.
Read moreThe defendants then used the fraudulently obtained funds as down payments on luxury homes in Tarzana, Glendale and Palm Desert. They also used the funds to buy gold coins, diamonds, jewelry, luxury watches, fine imported furnishings, designer handbags, clothing, and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Read moreWithin weeks, McConnell and his co-conspirators spent the PPP funds on unauthorized expenditures including the purchase of a residential property, two vehicles, and stock market investments. On January 20, 2021, McConnell used KB
Read more“Unfortunately, some individuals saw several of the programs enacted as an opportunity to steal and commit fraud. IRS CI will continue to partner with the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate CARES Act fraud and bring those committing the fraud to justice.”
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