(Centre Square) – Four people will serve years in prison for fraudulently earning tens of millions of dollars by posing as business owners seeking COVID-19 aid, which is now a national It is a commonly seen event.
The Arizona federal prosecutor’s office said Thursday that Phoenix resident Willie Mitchell aka Blue Mitchell, 41, Peoria resident Sean Swaringer, 57, Mesa resident Kimberly Coleman, 39, Resident Jason Coleman, 41, has been found guilty. Because of their role in the network of rogue applications.
Four applied for the federal Paycheck Protection Program. The program aims to help small businesses and independent contractors amid months of government-mandated shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Kimberly Coleman and her husband, Jason Coleman, jointly prepared and filed approximately 20 fraudulent PPP loan applications to receive more than $30 million in PPP funding,” the release reads. “They succeeded in at least 10 of these applications, fraudulently obtaining more than $13 million in PPP funding.”
Prosecutors said the Colemans spent the money on luxury cars, real estate, personal property at several luxury retailers, vacations and jewelry.
According to the release, Mitchell obtained a $9,470,900 loan after seeking help from others. He spent taxpayer money on cars, multiple properties, and vacations with PPP funds.
Mr. Swaringer has used cryotherapy for veterans and Cryoworld Therapy, LLC. – in addition to the applications filed by ten of his other recruits – with the aim of fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars. He was ordered to repay $3.8 million.
All four defendants will receive five years of supervised release upon completion of their sentences.
PPP fraud investigations have resulted in arrests and convictions nationwide in recent months.
The indictment was unsealed last month Paid A St. Louis County woman faces three counts of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program, alleging she received $104,000 in federal aid loans.
felons convicted in illinois Stall Donated over $400,000 to pandemic relief while serving time in prison for tax evasion and identity theft charges.
1 report Identified About $38 million in potentially inappropriate or fraudulent pandemic loans were obtained using the deceased’s Social Security number.
