Postal Inspectors are committed to aggressively pursuing investigations in which the U.S. Mails are used to facilitate criminal schemes.. Meghan Thomas, 32, of Alpharetta, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and false statements to a federally insured financial institution in connection with her involvement in several businesses loans. But it may not take that long. The False Claims Act can impose steep financial penalties, including treble damages. Also, the seizure warrant revealed multiple California unemployment benefits debit cards. Subsequently, upon receiving PPP loans (or, ideally, in anticipation of receiving a PPP loan), companies should adopt policies and procedures that are designed to ensure continual PPP compliance. In that same time frame, Lawson allegedly submitted 11 fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of many of the same individuals in an attempt to obtain at least $224,000. * * * DOJ will almost certainly expect cooperating institutions to provide investigative leads and will likely pursue those leads primarily through its own resources where it can., So imagine this scenario. Lets hope the entire government is on the same page as Mr. Cox. Two Miami neighbors, Latoya Stanley and Johnny Philus, are charged with getting more than $1 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loan and PPP loan amounts. With few case-by-case exceptions, Firm's practice is limited to matters and questions of federal law and federal procedure. Ngoc Manh Nguyen, Victoria Dieuy Ho, and Dat Tat Ho were charged for allegedly having misrepresented employee payroll figures to receive $13 million in COVID-19 loan funds. Part of the scheme allegedly involved a cystic fibrosis foundation he ran, called Skylar CF Foundation. Construction Company Owner (Washington D.C. July 13), 24. You can also check to see how many workers companies receiving the assistance said they kept on the payroll. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW Case data source and image source: Justice.gov. During the investigation, the U.S. seized nearly $4 million in PPP loan proceeds, four luxury vehicles, and several jewelry items. Related coverage:Treasury names 650K small businesses receiving govt loans. He has contested the charges. What are the Red Flags for PPP Loan Fraud? Its easy to take risks on day trading and gambling when youre using taxpayer money. And for how much? Terry was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison for other cases. John Gaines a/k/a Marty Gaines, 56, of Marietta, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured financial institution, and money laundering in connection with the loan obtained by Gaines Reservation and Travel. Apparently one tim isnt enough for some people. James McFarland, 56, of Atlanta, Georgia. When seeking forgiveness, companies are required to provide documentation, and they must affirmatively certify as to the accuracy of this documentation and as to compliance itself. Cherry was on supervised release in an unrelated federal case when he applied to the Small Business Administration program. Georgia has a total of 553,322 businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the Small Business Administration. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Search our database that is tracking this information. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Ophthalmologist Already Under Indictment (New York June 24), 19. He also agreed to forfeit various assets, including more than $2.1 million in seized funds, three luxury vehicles a 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S65AMG, a 2018 Land Rover Range Rover, and a 2017 Acura NSX and several items of jewelry, including a gold Rolex. In some cases, pursuant to Rule 7.04 of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct and the equivalent in other jurisdictions, a case is referred to a Local Counsel, the Firm will not participate in the representation. Authorities claims Yates used a name generator on the Internet to create names of fake staff. The complaint also states he was convicted of four counts of bank robbery and fraud previously. If so, how do I go about it? Along with Lawson and Quarterman, the federal indictment includes: Charges against the named co-conspirators include various counts of bank fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and money laundering for a total of approximately $714,000, prosecutors said. Sandra D. Smith has been arraigned on federal charges of wire fraud and theft of government funds. 90 PPP Applications in This Fraud Ring (Ohio and Florida August 6), 33. Two-Man Fraud Ring for PPP Loans (Oklahoma December 18), 76. Our searchable databaseallows users to look up dollar allotments by industry, and lenders. Chanchikyan has pleaded not guilty, and his trial is scheduled for October 4, 2022. The defendants allegedly abused both programs by submitting fraudulent applications and obtaining thousands of dollars that should have gone to support struggling businesses. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The above numbers are through January 2021, and new instances are being announced regularly. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans have aided more than 5.2 million small business owners, providing a much-needed lifeline during the Coronavirus outbreak crisis. Five Charged in Connection With PPP Loans Scheme (Wisconsin/Illinois October 22), 60. Joshua Thomas Argires of Houston was arrested on various fraud charges. Keeping it All in the Family (Arkansas December 16), 73. The total approved was over $525 billion, demonstrating its success. Another source of relief from the March 2020 CARES Act is the PPP which allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive PPP loans to pay payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. Both are fraud. As part of his guilty plea, Darrell Thomas admitted his participation in fraudulent conduct totaling more than $14.7 million, including more than $11.1 million in fraudulent PPP loans, more than $1.15 million in fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans, and more than $2.4 million in fraudulent automobile loans. The U.S. Department of Justice say that approximately $11.1 million in PPP loans were taken and the funds were then used to buy luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other personal items. Tiara Walker was charged with conspiracy and fraud charges involving a crime ring that prepared at least 90 fraudulent applications and attempted to get $24 million, ultimately receiving $17.4 million dollars. Bank of America PPP loans class action overview: Who: Three small businesses are suing Bank of America over its management of PPP loans. According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the indictment, and other information presented in court: On August 11, 2020, agents with the U.S. is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and it only maintains a fully equipped office in Dallas and Houston. According to Federal authorities, Crowther submitted an application on behalf of his roofing company that contained false and misleading statements. Encompassing multiple states, authorities said the individuals took advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Laon, using made-up businesses to file fraudulent loan applications for upwards of $10,000 for that did not have to be repaid under some circumstances. He allegedly received $17.3 million and spent the money on a Bentley convertible as well as sending millions of dollars abroad. The criminal complaint goes on to say Caraballo also received $55,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) relief. Chinese Man Found Guilty Of $20 Million Dollar PPP Fraud Scheme Chinese national who lived in New York pled guilty in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain over $20 million. Along with its application requirements, the CARES Act also establishes requirements for how companies use, and account for the use of, PPP loan funds. Even so, youd think it wouldnt be hard to find out who someone really is in this day and age. Law enforcement assisting in the investigation included the Small Business Administration OIG office, the FBI, FDIC and others. He got $5.6 million and sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to Pakistan accounts, and paid for luxury items. 1014, individuals and companies that submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications can also face charges for bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. Reality TV Personality (Georgia May 13), 4. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law passed in March 2020 that provided $2.2 trillion dollars in emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by COVID-19. Copyright 2003 - 2023, Small Business Trends LLC. 43. He allegedly used those funds to buy a 33-foot Cruisers Yacht for $300,000, a $1.13 million rowhouse, and a $46,000 luxury Kia Stinger. Charles Petty a/k/a Charles Knight, 48, of Atlanta - charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured financial institution, and money laundering in connection with the loan obtained by Transportation Management Services Inc. Jerry Baptiste, 43, of College Park - charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured financial institution, and money laundering in connection with the loan obtained by Transportation Management Services Inc. Charles Hill IV, 45, of Norcross - charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with the loan obtained by his business, Infinite Education Services Inc. Teldrin Foster, 39, of Decatur - charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by Bellator Phront Group Inc. Denesseria Slaton, 52, of Stockbridge - charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by Transportation Management Services Inc. Carla Jackson, 53, of Tucker - previously charged by indictment on August 4, 2020 with money laundering in connection with laundering the proceeds of Gaines Reservation and Travels PPP loan. It is alleged he got over $190,000 in proceeds and managed to withdraw cash or cashiers checks for $140,000. The overwhelming majority of owners who received PPP loans legitimately used the money to retain employees and stay operational. The U.S. Secret Service and IRS participated in this investigation, along with the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Richard Ayvazyan, Marietta Terabelian, Artur Ayvazyan, Tamara Dadyan were charged in a complaint claiming they conspired together as part of a disaster relief loan fraud ring based in Los Angeles. Authorities say he put the PPP loan proceeds in accounts under the control of his relatives and minor children. When Williams received the funds, he allegedly tried to launder the money by transferring it to different accounts. Kindambu made some expensive personal purchases that authorities say were not permissable under the loan terms, including the plane the Lexus. The CARES Act was signed to provide economic assistance to keep companies afloat while navigating through these uncertain times, said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. We will work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the EIDL and PPP and to help small businesses stay afloat., The COVID-19 pandemic has caused financial hardships for many hardworking business owners across the nation. Charles Petty a/k/a Charles Knight, 48, of Atlanta, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured financial institution, and money laundering in connection with the loan obtained by Transportation Management Services Inc. Jerry Baptiste, 43, of College Park, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured financial institution, and money laundering in connection with the loan obtained by Transportation Management Services Inc. Derek Parker, 56, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with the loan obtained by his business, D Parker Holdings Inc. David Belgrave II, 49, of Lexington, South Carolina, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured financial institution, and money laundering in connection with the loan obtained by his business, Continuing Success Inc. Charles Hill IV, 45, of Norcross, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with the loan obtained by his business, Infinite Education Services Inc. Ryan Whittley, 35, of South Holland, Illinois, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with the loan obtained by his business, ML Exotic Customs Inc. El Hadj Sall, 39, of Jacksonville, Florida, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with the loan obtained by his business, Bellevie Corp. Rick McDuffie, 50, of Little Rock, South Carolina, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by his business, Mickies Auto and Tire LLC. Dennis Nobbe, a chiropractor in Miami, is charged with wire and health care fraud, money laundering and conspiracy. Argires allegedly invested some of the proceeds in a cryptocurrency account and withdrew cash via ATM transactions. After obtaining a second search warrant for the cell phones, USPIS inspectors uncovered hundreds of text messages and photos related to an additional crime, fraudulent EIDL and PPP business loans. Judlex Jean Louis of Lauderhill, Florida, was arrested for aggravated identity theft and other charges for allegedly getting three loans totaling $60,000 using fictional or stolen identities. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Stopping COVID-related fraud is a priority for the Department of Justice. On August 9, Manukyan allegedly boarded a flight from Mexico City to Belarus. Lock [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]. Attorneys, including the Fraud Section, have resulted in a variety of charges, including wire fraud (18 U.S.C. He claimed to have 400 employees but actually had zero. Fake Sewing Company Owner Fled Country (Los Angeles August 11), 36. Acknowledging PPP loan applicants compliance burdens (and the limited information that was initially made available to applicants), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offered a grace period within which companies could return improperly obtained PPP loans without penalty. Court documents allege that handwritten notes recovered from his trash describe how he planned to use $3 million of it for personal investments. This comes as federal prosecutors in Georgia continue to make new arrests for PPP fraud. How does the government miss a well know con artist? This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Former U.S. Heres a list of the PPP loan prosecutions to date: 1. 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