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Federal prosecutors have charged a Miami nurse with fraud and other crimes in a criminal complaint that accuses him of lying on coronavirus relief loan applications and fraudulently obtaining close to half a million dollars in relief money intended to help small businesses survive disasters like the current pandemic.

A South Florida tax preparer was charged Tuesday by criminal information with wire fraud in connection with a scheme to obtain over 100 COVID-19-relief loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

A Florida couple pleaded guilty for their participation in a scheme to file four fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $1.1 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Don V. Cisternino (45, Chuluota) with two counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, and three counts of illegal monetary transactions. If convicted, Cisternino faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count, up to 10 years’ imprisonment for each illegal monetary transaction count, and a mandatory consecutive term of two years for the aggravated identity theft counts.

Tampa, Florida – Keith Nicoletta (48, Dade City) has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to launder stolen COVID relief funds. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Nicoletta also agreed to forfeit more than $1.9 million, a 2020 Mercedes, a 2020 Ford F-250, real property located in Pasco County, and other funds and assets that are traceable proceeds of the offense.