Reports

A Georgia man was arrested today in connection with his role in 15 fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan applications administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, totaling more than $3.39 million in fraudulent loan proceeds.

On May 9, 2025, YASIR G. HAMED, 60, of Woodbridge, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to offenses stemming from a scheme to defraud a COVID-19 pandemic relief program of more than $2.3 million.

Baltimore, Maryland – After a one-week trial, a federal jury found Nichelle Henson, age 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, guilty of making false statements and for bank fraud in connection with fraudulent applications Henson filed to obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in the names of multiple purported businesses that she had previously incorporated in the state of Maryland.

A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment last week against Akash Kumar Singh, 48, of Sacramento, charging him with four counts of bank fraud and three counts of money laundering.

Christopher Lee Carroll was also ordered to pay restitution of $3 million.

Patrick Strauss, 54, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 48 months of probation – including six months of home confinement to be followed by a period of intermittent incarceration, that is, 26 weekends in jail – and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $304,900 and fined $8,784, all for participating in a conspiracy that fraudulently obtained more than $304,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans.

CINCINNATI – Joseph Lentine III, 55, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 63 months in prison for orchestrating a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme involving millions of dollars.