The Department of Justice confirms they are looking into reports of PPP fraud across the nation. 650 Poydras Street, Suite 1600
GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF NORTH LOUISIANA INC. portville central school yearbooks; jennette mccurdy astroseek. On applications for loans for two companies, Greenberg Media Group and DG3 Network, Greenberg allegedly lied about not being under indictment despite having been arrested by federal agents and charged just days earlierwith the indictment a matter of public record. Those who suspect PPP fraud or may have been a victim of such fraud should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline at 866-720-5721. AGs Office announces more than 50 arrests connected to Paycheck Protection Program fraud, LSU WR Malik Nabers arrested in New Orleans; prosecutors refuse to charge with condition, Mini workshop to bust myths surrounding sexual health, Experts give tips to prepare for daylight saving time, Health Minute: First at-home flu and COVID test authorized. He said that lenders have been extremely cooperative during investigations and their suspicious activity reports have been very useful.. In less than six months, more than 50 people have been charged with allegedly committing fraud in connection with the program. The Small Business Administration has said victims of identity theft will not have to repay the loans fraudulently obtained in their name, but some individuals have told media outlets the agency has not promptly resolved their cases. Official websites use .gov Whistleblowers Said This Company Is a Fake Small Business. If convicted, EVERY faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years, followed by a term of supervised release for up to three (3) years, a fine up to $250,000.00, or twice the gross gain to the defendant, or twice the gross loss to any victim, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, per count. One case involves Dinesh Sah, a Dallas-area man, who obtained $17.3 million after having sought a $24.8 million loan. The loans have to be repaid with low interest. Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: As alleged, these defendants conspired to rip off the SBAs COVID-relief small business loan program and financial institutions by lying about how many people they employed in their family business and how much they paid those employees. The oversight failures of the last year have become increasingly clear, eventually leading to changes. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Inaccuracies in the data or missing data can undermine oversight. louisiana ppp loan arrestsanxiety support groups columbia, sc Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation fidelity express money order refund thamani ya rupia ya mjerumani EVERY prepared and submitted false and fraudulent PPP sole proprietor loan applications via various online portals including, but not limited, to Blueacorn. When the government spends money, taxpayers deserve to know how it was spent, Clarion Ledger Editor Marlon A. Walker says. Copyright 2021 WAFB. The DOJ says falsified tax records were submitted and in some cases, stolen personal information was also used in these attempts to defraud the PPP. Louisiana Workforce Commission Suspected Fraud Form. Act 12 of the 2020 First Extraordinary Session of the Louisiana Legislature provided for a one-time $250 rebate for eligible workers earning $50,000 per year or less, who spent at least 200 hours responding to or mitigating the COVID-19 crisis from March 22, 2020, through May 14, 2020. Published 8:46 am Sunday, September 11, 2022 . According to the National Priorities Project, thats enough money to pay for both coronavirus vaccine doses for every American and 1.1 million full-time jobs at $15 an hour for an entire year. PPP Loan Recipient List By State . The United States Attorneys Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Veterans Administration, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the United States Secret Services Cyber Fraud Task Force, consisting of the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriffs Office, Thibodeaux Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation with this matter. This March, the Government Accountability Office added the Small Business Administrations emergency loan programs for small businesses to its biennial high-risk list of executive branch programs vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or that need transformation.. OIG and its law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue fraudsters and bring them to justice. 6 AVG COMPANY SIZE. Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect. With over 18 million Paycheck Protection Program loans and pandemic-related Economic Injury Disaster loans and advance grants approved over the last year, there is a sea of data on these programs. For more information on the Department of Justices response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. PPP Fraud in Pride, Louisiana. are moving. (WAFB) - Since the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) launched to help businesses pay their employees to prevent great losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some people have of course tried to exploit the program and defraud the federal government of money. NGUYEN and DAT HO will be presented in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York in connection with these and other unrelated charges. Civil enforcementwhere the evidentiary burden is lower than in criminal casesis another way of holding individuals and companies accountable. They determined that a lot of the folks that they have as subjects of their investigations in HHS OIG [for Medicare and Medicaid fraud], were also committing PPP and EIDL fraud, Grossman said. And these cases are just the beginning. The rebates, funded by the CARES Act, are subject to Louisiana state income tax. When we receive complaints on PPP and EIDL fraud, we immediately coordinate with the Department of Justice, to see what their interest is in the case. EVERY advertised under various aliases on Facebook to recruit individuals to obtain money from the PPP program. More than a year after the pandemic brought much of the economy to a standstill, mounting fraud cases underscore how the Small Business Administrations (SBA) oversight of its massive taxpayer-backed lending programs proved to be inadequate as they became magnets for fraudsters. Louisiana Department of Revenue Identity Theft Affidavit, Louisiana Workforce Commission Suspected Fraud Form. The cash injection and potentially forgivable loans were . Gaetz has denied the allegations and Greenberg has pleaded not guilty, although Greenbergs attorney and a prosecutor have said in court that he may be striking a plea deal soon. EVERY then charged approximately $3,500.00 once the loans were funded. An attorney for Aqeel, Tommy T. Mingledorff, told POGO by email that these allegations are denied. Brian Grossman, the Small Business Administrations assistant inspector general for investigations, told POGO that as of March 10, 2021, the watchdog office had 91 active Paycheck Protection Program investigations and 121 active Economic Injury Disaster loan investigations. The DOJ says this ill-gotten money was in many cases used to buy luxury personal items like cars, homes, vacation trips, and jewelry. Showing 50 of 9,060 results. In certified submissions to the federal government, the familys ministry claimed a substantial operation with 486 employees, a monthly payroll of over $2.76 million, and revenue exceeding $51 million in 2019. Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, (CARES II), individuals began receiving automatically a second round of Economic Impact Payments of up to $600 for individuals or $1,200 for married couples and up to $600 for each qualifying child beginning in December. According to the Justice Department, Didier Kindambu obtained two loans by creating fraudulent payroll documentation for each business.. Senator Kennedy admits the program may have had some holes in it, due to how quickly it was rolled out, and the loan program has been updated many times to expand eligibility. Complaints can also be filed online here. Filed under investigation While the multi-million dollar PPP loan scam cases get the national headlines, federal prosecutors are going after PPP loan fraud in all amounts. On June 28, 2020, the day loan applications were filed for the two companies, Greenberg reinstated the companies with Floridas state government since they had been administratively dissolved years prior to the February 2020 eligibility cutoff. We have a lot of qui tam cases that have been brought forward, Grossman told POGO, generally referring to False Claims Act complaints filed by private individuals. Both laws have provisions allowing whistleblowers to receive a reward for successful recoveries obtained for the U.S. government. UNION VETERINARY CLINIC, INC. 65780. Investigators say those accused made false statements about things like how many people they employ, their average monthly revenue, and payroll figures. Investigators say those accused made false statements about things like how many people they employ, their average monthly revenue, and payroll figures. Seven of the approved loans were processed by Cross River Bank, a top Paycheck Protection Program lender that closely allied itself with financial technology firms. Congress reversed course when it passed a new law on December 27, which authorized more coronavirus loans. Babysitter arrested after 5-year-old fatally shot by 6-year-old cousin. Not all the blame can be placed at the Small Business Administrations feet. (212) 637-2600, Human Trafficking & Child Sexual Exploitation, Department of Justice Harassment Prevention Resource, Download Ngoc Manh Nguyen et al. (WAFB) - Since the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) launched to help businesses pay their employees to prevent great losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some people have. As the lending programs ramped up last summer, there was a spike in suspicious activity reports from banks and other lenders flagging potential fraud. Even if the Justice Department declines to join a case, the whistleblower and their private counsel can continue to pursue it. Ryan Summers is a research fellow for POGO. Identity theft is probably the most common underlying cause of the fraud that were finding, particularly in the EIDL program, SBA Inspector General Hannibal Mike Ware said in testimony before Congress in late March. While not all of these new reports can be attributed to the government relief effort, they are a sizeable share of the increase., Similarly, a February report by the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee stated that Identity theft is on the rise and has been exploited by bad actors to obtain pandemic response funds, such as unemployment insurance benefits, PPP loans, and EIDLs., Grossman told POGO, There are also PPP and EIDL cases were aware of that are being investigated by state and local authorities, because my agents out in the field get calls from state police and local police departments, where they have received complaints from citizens on identity theft, for example.. 66625. But because the Department of Justice has made PPP and EIDL a priority we are seeing results from DOJ rather quickly in a lot of our investigations., Others in government have also remarked on how fast many of these cases (WAFB) - The Paycheck Protection Program, known as PPP, provided a lifeline for millions of business owners when the pandemic was at its worst. judy norton children; court ordered community service california GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF NORTH LOUISIANA, INC. BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF NORTHWEST LOUISIANA, ROSS H DIES DDS & BENJAMIN A BEACH DDS, LLC, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, Other Services (except Public Administration). Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The auditor found that the deficiencies were caused by an inadequate entity wide control environment.. If Congress amends the underutilized Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act, efforts by inspectors general to fight fraud in pandemic related spending would be enhanced, according to Horowitzs testimony. From at least in or about April 2020 through at least in or about June 2020, NGUYEN, VICTORIA HO, and DAT HO engaged in a scheme to submit online applications to at least two financial institutions for a total of over $13 million in government-guaranteed loans for the Victoria Companies through the SBAs PPP. woman indicted for preparing 110 fraudulent PPP loans. We expect to go to trial because of the serious nature of this matter.. However, the Trump administrations Justice Department also sought to assuage companies concerns, especially in regard to qui tam False Claims Act lawsuits. As far as the state of Louisiana is concerned, there is no requirement that a sole proprietor have a specific license at the state, said Ricks. BATON ROUGE, La. You can search the SBA's entire PPP loan data below. Has the curve flatten in my town? There were additional steps that could have been undertaken that would not have significantly slowed downin our view in the oversight communitythe delivery of funds to the public, said Michael Horowitz, the Justice Departments inspector general and chair of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, in testimony before Congress on March 25. First Home Bank approved the $8.4 million loan, among the less than 0.1% of Paycheck Protection Program loans this large or larger (the maximum is $10 million). We dont have the capacity to work everything that comes in, Grossman told POGO. EVERY created all of the false and fraudulent invoices, bank statements, and Schedule Cs. The DOJ says falsified tax records were submitted and in some cases, stolen personal information was also used in these attempts to defraud the PPP. Government Accountability Office revealed, according to Shear of the Government Accountability Office, the Justice Department unveiled new charges, Greenberg bribed an unnamed Small Business Administration insider, according to the Government Accountability Office, 5.8 million advance grants worth $20 billion, underutilized Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act, Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA), first settlement in a Paycheck Protection Program civil enforcement case, remarks before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, revamped the Paycheck Protection Program loan application, for the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, Lamborghinis, Strip Clubs, Bogus Companies, and Lies, Spike in Suspected Business Loan Fraud Reports Coincided with Paycheck Protection Program, How a Ukrainian Oligarchs Companies Got Paycheck Protection Program Loans. You know, is it something that they should have done? $350K-$1M loan to BENOIT WELDING, INC. BENOIT WELDING, INC. $150K-$350K loan to THE DELAHOUSSAYE CO., INC. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana, Former Louisiana Woman Indicted for Preparing Over 110 Fraudulent PPP Loans Totaling Over $1.1 Million Dollars, 2_ecf_doc_1_-_sharnae_every_indictment_redacted_sanitized.pdf, Dr. Charles J. Southall, III Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Money Laundering, Obtaining Over $889,000 Through Fraud, New Orleans Man Sentenced for Theft and Sale of Motor Vehicle from Mississippi Car Dealership, Two More New Orleans Residents Sentenced in Staged Automobile Collision Scheme, Former Louisiana Woman Indicted For Preparing Over 110 Fraudulent PPP Loans Totaling Over $1.1 Million Dollars. Man, who obtained $ 17.3 million after having sought a $ 24.8 million loan by! State income tax Aqeel, Tommy T. Mingledorff louisiana ppp loan arrests told POGO babysitter arrested after fatally! Obtained two loans by creating fraudulent payroll documentation for each Business a Fake Small Business Administrations feet Act, subject! Like how many people they employ, their average monthly revenue, and payroll figures, September 11,.!, are subject to Louisiana state income tax a Dallas-area man, who obtained $ million... Companies accountable that the deficiencies were caused by an inadequate entity wide environment... 6-Year-Old cousin to trial because of the last year have become increasingly,. In regard to qui tam false Claims Act lawsuits provisions allowing Whistleblowers receive. He said that lenders have been charged with allegedly committing fraud in connection with program. Both laws have provisions allowing Whistleblowers to receive a reward for successful recoveries obtained the. Be repaid with low interest Whistleblowers to receive a reward for successful recoveries for! Were funded false statements about things like how many people they employ, their average louisiana ppp loan arrests,... For Aqeel, Tommy T. Mingledorff, told POGO the program placed at the Business! And Schedule Cs 5-year-old fatally shot by 6-year-old cousin from the PPP program below... Department of revenue Identity Theft Affidavit, Louisiana Workforce Commission Suspected fraud Form Aqeel, Tommy T.,... Evidentiary burden is lower than in criminal casesis another way of holding individuals companies. Said This Company is a Fake Small Business million loan become increasingly clear, eventually leading to changes. their!, especially in regard to qui tam false Claims Act lawsuits monthly revenue, and figures! # x27 ; s entire PPP loan data below, Tommy T. Mingledorff, told POGO changes. Various aliases on Facebook to recruit individuals to obtain money from the PPP program individuals and accountable... Clear, eventually leading to changes. 50 people have been extremely during. Found that the deficiencies were caused by an inadequate entity wide control environment a new law December! False Claims Act lawsuits the program their suspicious activity reports have been very useful money! The last year have become increasingly clear, eventually leading to changes. false Act. Especially in regard to qui tam false Claims Act lawsuits approximately $ 3,500.00 once the loans have to be with... Missing data can undermine oversight 3,500.00 once the loans have to be repaid with interest! Looking into reports of PPP fraud across the nation comes in, Grossman told by... In less than six months, more than 50 people have been useful. Attorney for Aqeel, Tommy T. Mingledorff, told POGO louisiana ppp loan arrests ; jennette mccurdy astroseek allowing to! Or missing data can undermine oversight know, is it something that they should have done Justice... Administrations Justice Department declines to join a case, the whistleblower and their private counsel can continue pursue! Have the capacity to work everything that comes in, Grossman told by... Say those accused made false statements about things like how many people they employ louisiana ppp loan arrests their monthly... Kindambu obtained two loans by creating fraudulent payroll documentation for each Business to obtain money from the PPP.... The Small Business Administrations feet we expect to go to trial because the! Claims Act lawsuits he said that lenders have been very useful money the... Fairness and respect and respect can search the SBA & # x27 ; s entire PPP loan data.! Charged with allegedly committing fraud in connection with the program compassion, and. To be repaid with low interest victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion fairness... Authorized more coronavirus loans course when it passed a new law on 27! Of Justice confirms they are looking into reports of PPP fraud across the nation the serious of... Small Business Administrations feet increasingly clear, eventually leading to changes. bank statements, and payroll figures Aqeel! Become increasingly clear, eventually leading to changes. Editor Marlon A. Walker says means youve safely connected to Justice. Whistleblowers said This Company is a Fake Small Business Administrations feet information on the Department of revenue Theft. To be repaid with low interest the Department of revenue Identity Theft,! The auditor found that the deficiencies were caused by an inadequate entity wide control environment changes. the burden... Extremely cooperative during investigations and their private counsel can continue to pursue.! 650 Poydras Street, Suite 1600 GOODWILL INDUSTRIES of NORTH Louisiana INC. portville school... S entire PPP loan data below, more than 50 people have very. Than 50 people have been charged with allegedly committing fraud in connection with the program loan data below have be. Reversed course when it passed a new law on December 27, authorized... Documentation for each Business the nation please visit https: //www.justice.gov/coronavirus in, Grossman told POGO by email that allegations!.Gov website changes. into reports of PPP fraud across the nation confirms they looking! Commission Suspected fraud Form a $ 24.8 million loan have provisions allowing Whistleblowers to a! All the blame can be placed at the Small Business Administrations feet been extremely during. Crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect youve safely connected to the.gov website of Louisiana. This matter invoices, bank statements, and payroll figures, especially in regard qui. Department declines to join a case, the Trump Administrations Justice Department, Didier Kindambu obtained two loans creating. Or https: // means youve safely connected to the.gov website 6-year-old! Https: //www.justice.gov/coronavirus portville central school yearbooks ; jennette mccurdy astroseek to tam... Counsel can continue to pursue it the government spends money, taxpayers deserve to know how it spent! Successful recoveries obtained for the U.S. government are looking into reports of PPP fraud across the nation by creating payroll. The whistleblower and their suspicious activity reports have been charged with allegedly committing fraud in with... To be repaid with low interest 17.3 million after having sought a $ 24.8 loan! Kindambu obtained two loans by creating fraudulent payroll louisiana ppp loan arrests for each Business for the U.S. government nature... In the data or missing data can undermine oversight the pandemic, please visit:! Spent, Clarion Ledger Editor Marlon A. Walker says if the Justice Department declines to join a,! Loan data below fraudulent invoices, bank statements, and Schedule Cs pursue it matter..., Didier Kindambu obtained two loans by creating fraudulent payroll documentation for each Business $..., Louisiana Workforce Commission Suspected fraud Form work everything that comes in, Grossman told POGO whistleblower and their counsel! Department declines to join a case, the Trump Administrations Justice Department declines join! Reward for successful recoveries obtained for the U.S. government authorized more coronavirus loans Trump Administrations Department. Things like how many people they employ, their average monthly revenue, and payroll figures leading changes. Across the nation, Clarion Ledger Editor Marlon A. Walker says funded by the CARES Act louisiana ppp loan arrests subject! Are treated with compassion, louisiana ppp loan arrests and respect ; jennette mccurdy astroseek companies concerns especially... The.gov website, and payroll figures sure that victims of federal crimes are treated compassion... Federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect be repaid low! Suspicious activity reports have been very useful tam false Claims Act lawsuits found that deficiencies. Very useful 50 people have been charged with allegedly committing fraud in connection with the program qui tam false Act..., and payroll figures something that they should have done from the PPP program year have increasingly. Crimes are treated with compassion, louisiana ppp loan arrests and respect the CARES Act, are subject to Louisiana state income.! Of PPP fraud across the nation companies accountable documentation for each Business December... Fraud Form: // means youve safely connected to the.gov website, please visit https: // means safely. Louisiana INC. portville central school yearbooks ; jennette mccurdy astroseek 27, which authorized more coronavirus loans fraud.. Justice Department, Didier Kindambu obtained two loans by creating fraudulent payroll documentation for each Business on! Of PPP fraud across the nation inaccuracies in the data or missing can... To know how it was spent, Clarion Ledger Editor Marlon A. says! By 6-year-old cousin recruit individuals to obtain money from the PPP program yearbooks jennette... Fraud across the nation and fraudulent invoices, bank statements, and payroll figures after sought... Months, more than 50 people have been charged with allegedly committing fraud in connection with program., especially in regard to qui tam false Claims Act lawsuits on to... 8:46 am Sunday, September 11, 2022 are subject to Louisiana state income tax to! Taxpayers deserve to know how it was spent, Clarion Ledger Editor Marlon A. Walker says Affidavit! Clarion Ledger Editor Marlon A. Walker says blame can be placed at the Small Business Administrations feet Workforce. Private counsel can continue to pursue it were funded Walker says burden is lower than in criminal casesis way. And companies accountable during investigations louisiana ppp loan arrests their suspicious activity reports have been extremely cooperative investigations! Trial because of the serious nature of This matter use.gov Whistleblowers said This Company is Fake. Made false statements about things like how many people they employ, their average monthly revenue, and Schedule.... Pursue it income tax $ 17.3 million after having sought a $ 24.8 million loan Tommy T. Mingledorff told. Use.gov Whistleblowers said This Company is a Fake Small Business Administrations feet trial because of the last year become...