ppp loan frauds list in georgia

He allegedly received over $1.6 million. Honestly, I think theyll be finding and prosecuting these for years. Part of the scheme allegedly involved a cystic fibrosis foundation he ran, called Skylar CF Foundation. The estimated amount was about. The government wisely decided to move fast and let the justice system track down any miscreants. Along with Katrina Lawson, 41, a former Futon County Sheriffs deputy living in Houston, Quarterman learned the requirements for the PPP and EIDL programs and began submitting applications for friends and family members who didnt actually own businesses, then charge a fee once the SBA or partner banks paid out the fraudulent loans.They expanded the scheme by recruiting co-conspirators who would mostly text their bank and personal information to Quarterman, who would, in turn, provide the information to Lawson to submit the applications.Federal prosecutors accused some of Lawsons and Quartermans co-conspirators of recruiting more additional participants to funnel through the application process and also creating fake tax documents to support the bogus SBA applications. Rich Smith 31.3K subscribers Subscribe 110K views 1 year ago Here's a breakdown of the PPP Loan Fraud List and who got a PPP Loan.. Businesses that have to repay the loan get 2 years to repay if funding was issued before June 5. Robert, youre probably right about finding fraud for years to come. Casey David Crowther was charged with receiving more than $2 million in PPP funds. Kindambu made some expensive personal purchases that authorities say were not permissable under the loan terms, including the plane the Lexus. Terry was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison for other cases. Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine issued an update on his office's efforts to combat fraud related to schemes targeting the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a loan program created by Congress to help small businesses pay payroll, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also allegedly submitted forged tax documents. So far, six people, including the schemes mastermind, Darrell Thomas, have pleaded guilty. A PPP loan is a Small Business Authority-backed loan that helps businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 crisis. Claims of employees who didnt exist. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW Thomas sentencing is set for September 15. Didier Kindambu is facing charges that he falsified payroll documentation to $2.5 million. We have not conducted an exhaustive review of every sentence that federal courts have already imposed in PPP loan fraud cases as of November 15, 2021. Jase DePaul Gautreaux aka Jase Dixon, a funeral director in Houston, is charged with seeking $13 million in loans and ultimately receiving over $1.6 million. This has caused some entrepreneurs, employers and owners to think twice about applying. Hollywood Film Producer (California May 22), 7. 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. Find an attorney to defend youhttps://lawyers.findlaw.com/lawyer/practice/white-collar-crimes More than 15% of PPP loans had at least one indication of potential fraud. The EIDL application information, submitted by the applicant, was used by SBA systems to calculate the amount of money the business was eligible to receive in the form of a loan. 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. 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. Some of the law enforcement agencies involved in investigating are: The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General; Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG); Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), and the FBI. Our searchable databaseallows users to look up dollar allotments by industry, and lenders. He also allegedly was involved in a scheme claiming to represent the New York State Government in procuring COVID-19 test kits. She deposited the proceeds into four bank accounts, but that didnt hide it from authorities who seized her ill-gotten gains. Fayne allegedly claimed he had 107 workers and submitted forged bank statements. Are you at risk? Days later he allegedly bought a 2020 Lamborghini Huracan sports car for $318,000. Construction Company Owner (Washington D.C. July 13), 24. Authorities state Bellamy allegedly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program loan of $1,246,565 for his own company, Drip Entertainment LLC and then spent the proceeds on purchases at Dior, Gucci, and jewelers as well as withdrawing $302,000 in cash. The only way to get more money than that is to either 1) claim to have employees that you didn't really have, or 2) inflate your earnings amount on the application. They allegedly filed fake tax documents to support the loan applications. Anecdotally, however, courts are routinely handing down . We can use our experience to help reduce your companys risk (and your personal risk) to the fullest extent possible, and we encourage you to contact us for a free and confidential assessment of your companys legal needs. Joseph Cherry II of Virginia was indicted on 10 counts of COVID fraud and faces 10 to 30 years of prison time on each count. The Justice Department is hot on their trail. A lock ( However, on April 14, 2020, Olugbuyi allegedly filed a 1040 non-filer return reporting $1 in income for 2019 which qualified him to receive a $1,200 economic impact payment. Case data source and image source: Justice.gov. A Porsche and Lamborghini (Texas November 17), 68. "Along with our federal, state and local law enforcement [] He allegedly transferred a quarter million dollars of proceeds to his personal brokerage account. In connection with the investigation, the United States seized nearly $4 million in PPP loan proceeds, four luxury vehicles, and several jewelry items. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ethan P. Davis noted in a June 26th speech: When the borrower is ready to seek forgiveness of the loan, it has to certify that the funds were in fact used to pay costs that are eligible for forgiveness. 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. Rahul Shah of Evanston is charged with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. Check with your attorney and/or accountant with questions. They allegedly discussed their fraud in email and one assumed the identity of his own brother. Two Men, Identity Theft and a Conspiracy (Rhode Island - May 5, 2020) David Staveley, aka Kurt D. Sanborn, and David Butziger were charged with conspiring to seek over $530,000 in PPP money. 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. So many businesses needed federal emergency assistance to stay afloat during a pandemic, and these defendants allegedly misdirected millions of dollars of that assistance money to their own pockets for luxury items, said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. Michael George McQuarn, 51, of Austin, is charged with with fraudulently receiving over $2 million in Small Business Administration loans for two fictitious companies, Vantastic Voyages, LLC and Happy Days Movers, LLC. NEED I SAY MORE! Call 888-680-1745 for Central Intake with Dr. Nick Oberheiden, https://lawyers.findlaw.com/lawyer/practice/white-collar-crimes, https://lawyers.findlaw.com/lawyer/practice/business-commercial-law, https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/report-id-theft-fraud, https://bench.co/blog/operations/how-to-apply-first-ppp-loan/, https://www.schwabe.com/newsroom-publications-a-guide-to-the-sba-ppp-loan-forgiveness-review-process, request a free PPP risk assessment online, Anti-Counterfeiting & Brand Protection Attorneys. Leon Miles was charged with obtaining funds intended for business owners harmed by the coronavirus pandemic. ATLANTA - Seventeen more individuals have been charged in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain approximately $11.1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and to use those funds to purchase luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other personal items. Heres a list of the PPP loan prosecutions to date: 1. Dwan Ashong a/k/a Dwan Gilpin, 40, of Jacksonville, Florida, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with her involvement in several businesses loans. Our searchable databaseallows users to look up dollar allotments by industry, and lenders. PPP Loan Fraud List | Who Got a PPP Loan? Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! - Federal Lawyer We Will Protect Your Rights, Reputation and Freedom. Assistant U.S. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW Three-State Ring (Georgia, Ohio and California August 6), 32. Here are 10 red flags for PPP loan fraud: Companies are required to make a number of affirmative representations during the PPP loan application process. Keith William Nicolettawas charged with seeking more than $1.9 million in a Paycheck Protection Program loan to pay employees of a scrap metal company when, in fact, he had paid no payroll taxes for employees. But keep it all in perspective. Nationwide Federal Defense, Compliance and Litigation. Fake Sewing Company Owner Fled Country (Los Angeles August 11), 36. A second PPP2 program was authorized by Congress for $275 billion. As part of the court-authorized search, law enforcement seized Quartermans cell phones and discovered a handwritten ledger with the personal and banking information of several individuals. Andre Gainess sentencing is set for October 6, 2021 before Judge J.P. Boulee. 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. Claimed to Have Paid 100 Employees (Florida September 17), 52. When the SBA-OIG or DOJ launches an investigation, executing an effective and timely defense is imperative. He has contested the charges. This is based on the adage that where there is smoke, there is fire if someone seems concerned about what might be found, there is usually a reason why. East Texas Man and the Online Name Generator (Texas May 19), 5. He allegedly laundered funds he received by writing checks for $8,330 each to 23 people. bank fraud, making false statements to an FDIC-insured financial institution, or making false statements to the SBA). Luckily, the Feds have recovered a large part of the loan proceeds already, although millions is forever gone. These Local Counsel may assist the Firm on a case-by-case basis, operate their own respective law firms, are independent of Firm, and are not partners, owners, of counsel, or employees of Firm. Joshua Thomas Argires of Houston was arrested on various fraud charges. Ultimately Ugarte received funds from Transportation Alliance Bank. Some of them operated as crime rings as part of the PPP loan fraud schemes they were committing. Abramovs allegedly got nearly $2 million from seven lenders. Are you or your company at risk for facing allegations of PPP loan fraud? Authorities seized the Range Rover, worth about $125,000, jewelry, $120,000 in cash, and $3 million from 10 bank accounts. Fugitive defendant who fled during trial convicted by federal jury for laundering millions of dollars stolen from fraud victims throughout the U.S. 10 Defendants Indicted In Multi State, Fraudulent COVID 19 Related Business Loan Scheme. A few individuals will be arrested stripped of their material things. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. They allegedly spent some money on personal expenses like vehicles and home improvements. Argires allegedly invested some of the proceeds in a cryptocurrency account and withdrew cash via ATM transactions. The banks internal auditors will then report it to the SBA faster than you can say oops, bad move.. Restaurant Owner and Son Charged ( North Carolina December 17), 75. The case was investigated by the FBI and SBA-OIG. After two banks declined, Rowberry allegedly said she would help him re-apply through a friend. He allegedly applied for $441,000 under the Federal Paycheck Protection program. 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. Every case is different, any prior result described or referred to herein cannot guarantee similar outcomes in the future. No. Its intended to offer news and peer perspective on an important issue that affects us as business owners. Providing false statements to gain access to SBAs programs will be aggressively investigated by our office, said Hannibal Ware, Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration, in a statement. Melissa Turasky, a Chicago restaurateur, was charged with submitting a fraudulent PPP loan application to obtain more than $175,000 in a forgivable PPP loan. Ex-Felon Charged With PPP Loan Fraud (Rhode Island September 22), 53. 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. 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. Carlos Belone was charged with wire fraud and other charges in connection with several fraudulent applications. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at the home of Alicia Quarterman in connection with an ongoing narcotics trafficking investigation. 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. However, we have created a list of PPP resources that should help you with any challenges that you might have. So youre really that miserable that you would call and report someone ? Lauren Marcel Duhart, Joshua Bernard Smith, Steve Ronald Lewis, Christopher J. Agard, Henry Duffield, Jeremy Brandon Latourneau, Derick Keane were charged in an indictment with laundering $750,000 obtained fraudulently, including over $390,000 from a PPP loan. Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. But they apparently werent creative enough, as they submitted nearly identical applications each with 16 employees, and used identical fraudulent quarterly tax returns. If you dont know, those are characters from the Game of Thrones TV series. Apparently one tim isnt enough for some people. Its a scary thing for legitimate business owners to sign borrower certifications under potential penalties of fines and prison time. She allegedly claimed to have 73 employees at her Dayton private investigation company. This table shows the top 5 industries in Georgia by number of loans awarded, with average loan amounts and number of jobs reported. Gaughan is also charged separately with allegedly embezzling $472,000 from the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. where he previously worked. The False Claims Act can impose steep financial penalties, including treble damages. 2023 Cox Media Group. With few case-by-case exceptions, Firm's practice is limited to matters and questions of federal law and federal procedure. Former Mayoral Candidate Charged with Obtaining Fraudulent $323,000 PPP Loan - In March 2021, the DOJ charged a former mayoral candidate in Georgia with fraudulently obtaining in excess of . You can search and filter the list, but only flagged loans will be shown. Most of the funds are going to help the nations 31 million small businesses. And for how much? This article is updated regularly. Amanda Christian, 33, of Blythewood, South Carolina, 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 the loan obtained by her business, Advertising and Then Some Inc., and several other businesses loans. She is alleged to have obtained nearly $600,000. Ma is alleged to have falsely represented to the SBA and five financial institutions that his companies had hundreds of workers when he was the only employee. 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. Keeping it All in the Family (Arkansas December 16), 73. The maximum that one person can get for a PPP loan is $20,833. The maximum PPP loan is based on 20.83% of your Schedule C income. Whoa! In another case, a married couple was apprehended at JFK Airport allegedly attempting to flee the country after submitting 18 fraudulent PPP loan fraud applications. The allegations say he submitted fake IRS documentation. Terrence Deshun Williams, named one of Floridas high school basketball coaches of the year, was charged with fraudulently obtaining $984,710 in PPP loan money for a consulting company. Kao allegedly transferred $2 million to personal accounts. 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. Last Updated: 2023-02-05 Purchased a Luxury Mercedes E400 (Arizona December 17), 74. On January 4, 2021, the DOJ announced that Georgia resident Hunter VanPelt, also known as Ellen Corkrum, was sentenced to nearly 3.5 years in prison (41 months) for PPP loan fraud. 1344) - Along with 18 U.S.C. At Oberheiden P.C., we are actively representing companies with regard to PPP compliance during the coronavirus pandemic, and we are representing companies in PPP loan fraud audits and investigations as well. If an applicant knowingly answers any of these questions falsely, it may face False Claims Act liability.. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. I was put on furlough for almost 2 months from mid April to end of June. Medical Company Owner (Florida July 10), 23. The defendants are accused of submitting at least 14 fraudulent loan applications around April-August 2020 in attempts to get more than $14.7 million, the DOJ said. According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the indictment, and other information presented in court: On August 11, 2020, agents with the U.S. The criminal complaints describe egregious CARES Act abuse, assuming the government ultimately proves the allegations. 43. Richard B. Russell Federal Building 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. The SBA programs are complex and it is easy to trip up innocently. Sum of Undisburse Amount. Indeed, some of the supporting documents the businesses submitted were substantively identical, including identical Form 941s, identical bank statements, and W2 payroll spreadsheets where the reported figures were identical but purported employee names had been changed. Denesseria Slaton, pleaded guilty on June 16, 2021 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by Transportation Management Services Inc. Slatons sentencing is set for October 6, 2021. Rocco A. Malanga, owner of a New Jersey small company, was charged with wire and bank fraud for falsifying records to obtain $1.8 million in PPP loans. 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. 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. An 18-Room Tuscan Mansion on the Taxpayer Dime (New York September 17), 51. Prominent CEO of Hawaii Government Contractor (Hawaii -September 30), 55. The defendants allegedly participated in an extensive nationwide scheme in exchange for illegal kickbacks of portions of the loan proceeds, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Departments Criminal Division in a statement. The defendants are charged with using fake and stolen identifies to apply for 35 CARES Act loans. The Justice Department alleges that George submitted identical wage information and employee count records for two separate companies, one of which was out of business since 2015. 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. Phillip J. Augustin of Coral Springs, Florida, is accused of using his talent management agency and connections with professional athletes to engage in an alleged fraud of breathtaking scale, involving 90 PPP loan applications and $17.4 million. A package containing methamphetamine hidden in dog food containers had been mailed to Quartermans home. One defendant was so brazen he allegedly posted a rap video online flashing $100 bills. The impact of COVID-19 on small businesses around the country has been devastating, said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. Its alleged they falsely claimed to have dozens of workers at 4 different businesses, including a restaurant neither owned. Hayford later pleaded guilty. Find an attorney to help you obtain a loanhttps://lawyers.findlaw.com/lawyer/practice/business-commercial-law Which goes to show that most of the defendants arent very smart. References to a particular city or state other than Dallas, Houston, and Texas in any article or anywhere on this website does NOT mean that Firm maintains an office in that location, and it does NOT mean that Firm has attorneys physically located in that city or state.

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