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| Credit: STRF/STAR MAX/IPx |
Queens prosecutors charged nine people, including three Long Island men, with stealing COVID-19 relief funds through claims for fraudulent businesses, totaling more than $2.2 million.
Prosecutors said the defendants applied to the state's $800 million COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program beginning in June 2020. Five of the recipients — including a Farmingdale man accused of taking $2.5 million — also are charged with stealing funds from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
The grant requests were submitted on behalf of newly created or defunct businesses, claiming the emergency relief funds were needed to cover payroll or rent and mortgage payments, according to the Queens district attorney’s office.
The defendants are accused of using the relief grants for personal use and transferring the money into their bank accounts after submitting multiple grant applications. Authorities said funding was also wired to other defendants to cover legal costs of the grant applications.
The alleged fraud was uncovered following an investigation by the New York State inspector general in May 2024 and referred to the NYPD and the Queens district attorney. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said her office would seek restitution with the charges.
"The COVID-19 pandemic caused great hardship for small business owners and their employees," Katz said in a statement. "These defendants are accused of intentionally exploiting the state and federal disaster relief programs through a multitude of fraudulent companies and lining their pockets with the proceeds."
Long Islanders charged in the emergency relief theft were Tanvir Milon, 50, of Farmingdale, Juned Khan, 52, of Deer Park, and Nadeem Sheikh, 52, of New Hyde Park. They each pleaded not guilty during separate court appearances last week in Queens. --->READ MORE HERE (or HERE)
A Georgia man has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for defrauding the government of more than $800,000 in COVID-19 relief funds.
Brandon Cody Carter, 36, of East Point, Georgia, has been sentenced to 78 months in prison for his role in a scheme to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims under the expanded COVID Aid Relief and Economic Security, or CARES Act, said Kevin Davidson, acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama.
Carter admitted in his plea agreement to using aliases of Alabama residents as part of the scheme, Davidson said.
Carter will also serve three years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of defrauding programs intended to help those truly in need during a national crisis,” said Davidson. “Brandon Carter exploited a system designed to provide relief to families facing unprecedented hardship. Our office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to uncover and prosecute pandemic-related fraud wherever it occurs.” --->READ MORE HEREFollow links below to relevant/related stories and resources:
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