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John Bolden, age 46, of Valley Stream, was indicted on wire fraud charges in Brooklyn federal court on Monday, Aug. 12.
Prosecutors said Bolden and a second NYPD detective, Anthony Carreira, owned partnership interests in a franchise location for a tax preparation business.
Together with clients and co-defendants, the pair helped more than 65 people submit fraudulent applications for loans under the US Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) between May 2020 and October 2022, prosecutors allege.
The PPP was created by Congress as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, meant to help small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of their scheme, Bolden prepared phony IRS forms to accompany the loan applications that included false information about his and his client’s places of employment and income, prosecutors said.
The following co-defendants are charged in the case:
- Anthony Carreria, age 42, of Staten Island
- Jacqueline Johnson, age 78, of Valley Stream
- Christian McKenzie, age 46, of Wheatley Heights
If convicted, they face up to 30 years in federal prison.
“The defendants, including members of law enforcement responsible for upholding the law, defrauded the United States government out of relief funds meant for businesses struggling to survive the pandemic,” said US Attorney Breon Peace.
“These arrests are a powerful reminder of this office’s resolve to prosecute anyone who violated the public trust and took advantage of the COVID crisis by stealing from relief programs.”
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