A man from Virginia has been convicted for committing multimillion-dollar fraud in the COVID-19 relief programs. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that the man was convicted of multiple counts of wire fraud and bank fraud in connection with his fraud scheme that involved the misuse of COVID-19 relief funds, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.

The man applied for multiple PPP and EIDL loans in the names of several companies he controlled, falsely representing the number of employees and the amount of payroll expenses of the companies. He then used the fraudulently obtained funds for personal expenses, such as luxury cars, jewelry, and real estate.

The investigation into the man’s fraud scheme was conducted by the FBI and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The man was charged and convicted after a jury trial, and he now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and 30 years in prison for each count of bank fraud.

The DOJ emphasized that the conviction serves as a warning to others who may have committed fraud in COVID-19 relief programs. The U.S. government has made it a priority to investigate and prosecute individuals and companies suspected of committing fraud in these programs, and the consequences of COVID-19 relief fraud can be severe, including criminal and civil penalties, reputational damage, and disqualification from future programs.

The U.S. government continues to investigate and prosecute individuals and companies suspected of committing fraud in COVID-19 relief programs, and the consequences of such fraud can be severe.

If you are under investigation or have a need to speak with a federal criminal defense law firm experienced in federal fraud cases, please contact our law office immediately.