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Tag: Paycheck Protection Program
Super Bowl Champ Wendell Smallwood Jr. Sentenced For Covid-19, Tax Fraud
Wendell Smallwood Jr., a former Philadelphia Eagles running back and Super Bowl champion, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the IRS in Wilmington, Delaware, on Thursday, Sept. 18, according to federal court documents obtained by Daily Voice.
U.S. District Senior Judge Richard G. Andrews also ordered Smallwood, 31, to repay the government $645,000. The punishment comes after Smallwood pleaded guilty in December 2024 to orchestrating schemes that defrauded COVID-19 relief programs and the IRS.
Smallwood earned about…
$5.6M Fraud Scheme With 1K+ Stolen IDs; Including New York Lands PA Man Federal Charges
A Pennsylvania man is accused of stealing over $5.6 million in pandemic aid using more than 1,000 stolen or fake identities, federal prosecutors announced on Monday, June 16.
Adepoju Babatunde Salako, 32, has been indicted in Colorado on multiple federal charges after allegedly orchestrating a nationwide COVID-19 benefits scam, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
Salako faces six counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and four counts of aggravated identity theft, according to t…
Covid-19: Capital District Woman Admits To Pandemic Relief Fraud
A woman from the Capital District is facing years in prison after admitting that she took advantage of loan programs meant to help businesses struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Debra Hackstadt, age 67, of Albany, pleaded guilty Thursday, May 19, to fraudulently obtaining 32 government-backed loans, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
The loans were issued to Hackstadt herself, various friends and relatives, and several companies that she controlled, prosecutors said.
In all, investigators said she received more than $1.6 million between April 2020 and June 2021 through two separat…
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Man Admits To Stealing $4M In Relief Funds
A Hudson Valley man has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank and wire fraud and admitted to obtaining more than $4 million meant for businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ulster County resident Jean Lavanture, age 48, of Saugerties, also known as JR, and "Rudy" Lavanture, is the third person to plead guilty in this case, according to the US Attorney's Office.
In pleading guilty, Lavanture admitted to conspiring with another person to obtain $4,309,581 in Paycheck Protection Program loans between June and August 2020, by submitting fraudulent loan applications in the nam…