As the federal government ramps up its prosecution of coronavirus relief scams, would-be fraudsters took to Twitter to complain about being on warrant lists.
Experts told The Daily Caller that pandemic-era relief programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) are easy targets for fraud.
The abuses of government financial programs were so widespread that the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted 500 defendants by March 2022. According to To the press release from the Department of Justice at the time.
This number is likely to get even higher, as many social media users have publicly lamented the recent increase in PPP fraud prosecutions by the Department of Justice.
“Yeah…that PPP shit is real,” Tik Tok user J_Kyng_Enterprise said in a comment. video series he posted on the platform. The first post was on Friday.
Kin said in the video that he had been receiving the agency’s services for about three years after receiving the PPP loan. “They made me a man,” King continued.
@j_kyng_enterprise I might be away for a while #ppploan #loan #given #viral #fyp ♬ Original song – j_kyng_enterprise
Kyong, a self-proclaimed convicted felon, admitted he knew what he had claimed was wrong. (Related article: Kamala’s final pitch to black men is a dream for scammers and scammers)
“At the end of the day, I knew what I was doing and I knew that everything might not go as planned,” he said in the video.
Mr Kin, who calls himself the father of four daughters, warned people against scamming people.
“I don’t know what I was thinking at the time when I decided to take that loan. I got the service. Now that everyone else in the world is getting it, it’s not worth it,” he said. Said in the video.
Kyon was not the only fraud suspect.
The Department of Justice issued press releases regarding four separate PPP fraud prosecutions in October alone.
In early October, law enforcement arrested 42 members and associates of the California white supremacist gang SFV Pecker Woods, according to the Department of Justice. press release. Their indictment lists 76 charges of criminal conduct, but one of the most prominent charges listed was COVID-19 benefit and loan fraud.
The Department of Justice alleged that at least three members of the gang submitted “false and fraudulent” PPP applications. One of the suspects, 35-year-old Sean Craig Gluckman, allegedly obtained $20,833 worth of fraudulent PPP loans.
Later that month, the Department of Justice announced All Star Health Providers Inc. has agreed to pay $399,990 in restitution to resolve allegations that it fraudulently received and retained multiple PPP loans.
Most recently, a pair of cases announced by the Justice Department on Friday signal an increase in the department’s efforts.
Department slapped Tishion Nortes Hicks, a Georgia native, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for orchestrating a massive coronavirus unemployment benefits program and stealing at least $30 million from the Georgia Department of Labor with co-conspirators.
another judiciary indictment It was announced on the same day that Steven Cordell of Chicago is suspected of receiving $247,822.51 in fraudulent PPP loans.
While the Department of Justice ramps up its prosecution efforts, social media users react to misinformation about the “PPP Loan Warrant List.”
The GrindFace TV video, which has been viewed more than 800,000 times on
Know someone on the list? Tell them to run 🏃♂️ They’re coming #grindfacetv
TT/real.Jamessb pic.twitter.com/wTsInJEokC— GrindFace TV (Entertainment) (@grindfacetv) October 24, 2024
But that list doesn’t exist.
a follow up video GrindFace’s post showed a screen recording of the list where the creator claims to be able to see the PPP Guaranteed List.
The screen recording he posted was Pro Publica’s PPP TrackerIt simply lists all the businesses that have been approved for financing. The list does not mention arrest warrants.
In total, the government distributed $793 billion in PPP funds to at least 968,524 organizations. According to ProPublica, the program has forgiven $763 billion in loans.
Prosecutors allege that at least 10% of the loan proceeds were used for fraud. According to To the report from the Greenbaum method. The organization reported that $800 billion had been distributed.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department had recovered and seized $1.4 billion in stolen funds as of April. According to Department release.
