Reports

Recognized as a leader in pandemic relief fraud prosecutions, the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office has been selected to head one of three COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams nationally.

A San Bernardino County woman was arrested today on a seven-count federal grand jury indictment alleging she fraudulently obtained more than $500,000 in pandemic-related unemployment insurance (UI) benefits by using the names of inmates locked up the California state prison system.

Today the Justice Department announced the establishment of three Strike Force teams created to enhance the Department’s existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related fraud.

United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today the indictment of SHARNAE EVERY (“EVERY”), age 27, of Houston, Texas, who was charged with one (1) count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and two (2) counts of Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341. The case against EVERY began as a result of a referral from the COVID-19 Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (“PRAC”) regarding possible fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans (“PPP”). Investigators determined there were at least 110 PPP...

BOSTON – A former Everett man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to identity theft and fraud charges in connection with multiple schemes to fraudulently obtain an apartment as well as pandemic-related relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said, “This prosecution shows that my Office will aggressively prosecute persons who, by means of fraud, obtain federal funds that Congress appropriated to assist unemployed persons through the economic hardship created by the COVID pandemic. Such theft of federal funds tears the safety net that Congress implemented for American workers and their families.”

A federal jury convicted the president of a Silicon Valley-based medical technology company today of participating in a scheme to mislead investors, commit health care fraud, and pay illegal kickbacks in connection with the submission of over $77 million in false and fraudulent claims for COVID-19 and allergy testing.