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. If there is evidence of fraud, people can go to jail for a $20,000 PPP loan, just like someone whose PPP loan was $100,000 or $1 million. Seattle Doctor (Washington June 30), 20. Rahul Shah of Evanston is charged with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. Inadequate or questionable documentation submitted in support of a request for PPP loan forgiveness is another huge red flag, and companies accused of submitting fraudulent forgiveness requests can face a variety of federal charges.. The defendants are charged with using fake and stolen identifies to apply for 35 CARES Act loans. I was eventually permanently laid off at the end of June. This comes as federal prosecutors in Georgia continue to make new arrests for PPP fraud. Oberheiden P.C. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]. Authorities say he put the PPP loan proceeds in accounts under the control of his relatives and minor children. The complaint alleges George provided false and misleading documents and apparently couldnt keep his fake employees straight. Dinesh Sah of Dallas was indicted on charges he filed 15 fraudulent loan applications to 8 lenders in the total amount of $24.8 million. A pair of Georgia businesses are in hot water over fraud allegations related to their PPP loans. Brandon Casutt of Henderson, Nevada, is charged with EIDL and PPP fraud to the tune of $500,000. Authorities seized the yacht, car, and various bank and investment accounts. But of course, the government has to prove the allegations. Honestly, I think theyll be finding and prosecuting these for years. As part of their crimes, the defendants not only submitted false information for the business loans, but for the PPP, they also allegedly created fake Internal Revenue Service documentation to support the applications. When the SBA-OIG or DOJ launches an investigation, executing an effective and timely defense is imperative. You can also check to see how many workers companies receiving the assistance said they kept on the payroll. India Middleton, 34, of Accokeek, Maryland. Medical Company Owner (Florida July 10), 23. Justice Department lawyers remind everyone that, A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.. 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. For federal authorities such as the SBA-OIG and the DOJ, this includes suspect activity from any and all company personnel who are involved in responding to the governments inquiry; and, for companies, this includes evasiveness from employees during internal PPP compliance investigations. A Cessna Aircraft and a Lexus (Virginia October 20), 59. According to the SBA, thePaycheck Protection Program ended on May 31, 2021. Anecdotally, however, courts are routinely handing down . A Swimming Pool and Money Abroad (Minnesota November 16), 67. This has caused some entrepreneurs, employers and owners to think twice about applying. Days later she paid $8,000 on her student loan and then went on a spending spree at Sephora and other retailers, it is alleged. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. Nationwide Federal Defense, Compliance and Litigation. These purposes include the payment of payroll and related expenses, the payment of insurance premiums, the payment of rent and mortgage interest under pre-existing obligations, and the payment of business utility bills. 5 Places To Swim In Atlanta A Swimming Activity Of Every Kind, The 5 Best Atlanta Facebook Groups To Follow ASAP, Adarin Jones, a/k/a Adrian Jones, 42, of Atlanta, GA. Victor Montgomery, 43, of Washington, D.C. He allegedly certified that his business was operating as of February 15, 2020 (a requirement of the law) and had 247 employees, but didnt even set up a company entity until a few days before applying for the PPP loan. Ex-Felon Charged With PPP Loan Fraud (Rhode Island September 22), 53. I was put on furlough for almost 2 months from mid April to end of June. I appreciate your consideration/guidance/help/time. Chain Pizza Owner Charged With PPP Fraud (Michigan November 12), 65. Charges were recently brought against several celebrities, entertainers and business leaders in Georgia for allegedly defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program for a total of more than $3. Based on the investigation, none of the companies allegedly engaged in any business-related transactions or used the PPP loan proceeds for any authorized purposes. Argires allegedly invested some of the proceeds in a cryptocurrency account and withdrew cash via ATM transactions. He allegedly obtained $200,000 in Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster loans and used the cash for personal expenses. Authorities allege he bought a company on the Internet in May with no employees, and then forged documents to claim he had paid millions in payroll taxes in 2019. Authorities allege they falsely claimed to be farmers in the yards of their small homes. Its alleged they falsely claimed to have dozens of workers at 4 different businesses, including a restaurant neither owned. is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and it only maintains a fully equipped office in Dallas and Houston. Court documents allege that handwritten notes recovered from his trash describe how he planned to use $3 million of it for personal investments. Arman Manukyan, a San Fernando Valley man, is charged with fraudulently obtaining an $867,000 loan for a shell sewing company, Argo Global. Its intended to offer news and peer perspective on an important issue that affects us as business owners. 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WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta facebook feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta twitter feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta instagram feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta youtube feed(Opens a new window), UGA star charged in deadly crash turns himself in, released shortly after, records show, UGA football staffer had blood alcohol level twice the legal limit before crash that killed 2, 2 killed in crash after attempting to pass MARTA bus, South Fulton police say, 16-year-old reported missing found dead at Gwinnett home, police say, Man pulls gun on Kroger employee, steals meat, Clayton County police say, Meghan Thomas, 32, of Alpharetta - 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, Jesika Blakely, 34, 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 her involvement in several businesses loans, John Gaines a/k/a Marty Gaines, 56, of Marietta - 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. Adarin Jones, a/k/a Adrian Jones, 42, of Atlanta, Georgia. Amir Aqeel, Siddiq Azeemuddin, Rifat Bajwa, Pardeep Basra, Mayer Misak, Maurico Navia, and Richard Reuth allegedly participated together in filing more than 80 fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program applications for $16 million. 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. Nor, will we seek out applicants who made technical mistakes in processing paperwork or honestly misunderstood regulatory or certification requirements. Legitimate small companies and self-employed individuals needed speed. The allegations claim he submitted a tax return reporting $175,565 income for tax year 2019. Are you or your company at risk for facing allegations of PPP loan fraud? 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. The DOJ has already initiated multiple federal cases against individuals alleged to have converted PPP loan funds for personal use, and in these cases the defendants are facing hefty fines and years, if not decades, of federal imprisonment. Allegedly he submitted fake IRS 1099 Forms containing worker social security numbers that were invalid. Goldstein allegedly transferred $355,000 in his personal bank account. Part of the scheme allegedly involved a cystic fibrosis foundation he ran, called Skylar CF Foundation. Rafael Maturino and Winston James were charged separately but allegedly worked together to carry out their scheme. According to U.S. Attorney James Kennedy, Mr. I want to thank the U.S. Attorneys Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.. However, we have created a list of PPP resources that should help you with any challenges that you might have. He allegedly was caught on camera withdrawing cash. Rodericque Thompson allegedly recruited Micah Baisden, Travis Crosby, Keith Maloney, Tabronx Smith, and Thomas Wilson to apply for PPP loans on behalf of their respective business, per law enforcement. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. 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. We will work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the EIDL and PPP and to help small businesses stay afloat.. Hubert Ivan Ugarte of Draper, with the assistance of Lisa Bradshaw Rowberry of Provo are charged with fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan of $210,000. Suite 600 The defendants are charged with various counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. Didier Kindambu is facing charges that he falsified payroll documentation to $2.5 million. More than 15% of PPP loans had at least one indication of potential fraud. ATLANTA Federal fraud charges were filed against 10 people, including six Metro Atlanta residents, who stole more than $700,000 in COVID-19-related government aid, prosecutors said. The loan applications for each company were between $700,000 and $850,000. Ahmad Kanan, formerly of Madison, is charged with wire fraud and money laundering. Auto Repair Shop Owner (California June 5), 11. Researchers estimate that $76 billion in PPP loan money was taken illicitly. A PPP loan is a Small Business Authority-backed loan that helps businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 crisis. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. He had been removed by the Board of Directors from his company in 2019, yet submitted an application in the name of Crosscode dba Kloudgaze. He received over half a million dollars in PPP funds, and allegedly put a down payment on a pool and transferred money to a financial account in India. For a quick overview, this infographic tells the story of what happens when the funds are misused in a PPP loan fraud. Apparently one tim isnt enough for some people. Search our database that is tracking this information. Meet Goyal, MD, an ophthalmologist in Rye, New York, was under indictment for healthcare fraud. Hayford later pleaded guilty. Owner of Private Investigation Firm (Ohio June 24), 18. It will be viewed as a red flag for fraud in the event of an SBA audit or an SBA-OIG or DOJ investigation if a company does not have documented policies and procedures for PPP compliance. IRS-CI will continue to help illuminate these criminal deeds with our financial expertise., The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration aggressively pursues those who endeavor to defraud programs afforded to the American people under the CARES Act, said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Our mission is to bring you "Small business success delivered daily.". With that kind of speed, no program could be perfect. Specifically, if and when Firm cooperates with Local Counsel, Firm will disclose the details to the client in writing for their approval. Federal authorities are targeting companies and individuals suspected of defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). But it may not take that long. Will disclose the details to the tune of $ 500,000 of Atlanta, Georgia his employees... Taken illicitly were charged separately but allegedly worked together to carry out their scheme in loan! 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