Columbia Businessman Accused of Faking Employees for Pandemic Relief; Former MD Dept. Of Labor Employee Charged In COVID-19 Contract Scam, and other C-Virus related stories

Columbia businessman accused of faking employees for pandemic relief:

A federal lawsuit alleges that a Columbia businessman fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in pandemic relief funds.

Gregory A. DeLine is accused of submitting false or fraudulent records to the Paycheck Protection Program, established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act in 2020.

DeLine allegedly received $5 million to $10 million in PPP loans from the Regions Bank in Columbia in April 2020, according to a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. DeLine also allegedly received $5 million to $10 million through three PPP loans from Providence Bank in Ashland in April 2020, according to the complaint.

The complaint alleges that DeLine submitted 466 employees in his PPP loan from Regions Bank and 429 employees from his three PPP loans from Providence Bank. DeLine is also accused of using shell companies in his PPP loans, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit says DeLine owns multiple companies, including Alpha Real Estate, Columbia Discount Homes, Clean Cut Barbershop, Service Pro, A&G Commercial Trucking, Amega Mobile Homes, Chateau Homes, Mark Twain Mobile Homes, 818 Broadway and Cameo Construction. However, most, if not all, are shell companies with zero employees, according to the complaint.

The complaint accuses DeLine of submitting duplicate PPP forms by using his own employee identification number for over 466 employees to Regions Bank. DeLine is also accused of using his employee identification number for over 429 employees to Providence Bank by listing them as being in Ashland instead of Columbia, according to the complaint. --->READ MORE HERE

Former MD Dept. Of Labor Employee Charged In COVID-19 Contract Scam:

A former Maryland Department of Labor official has been charged in connection with an extensive fraud and bribery scheme involving COVID-19 cleaning contracts at agency facilities, according to prosecutors.

Ronald Van Price, 51, of Gwynn Oak, was indicted on charges including procurement fraud, bribery and perjury for his role in the scheme, Attorney General Anthony Brown said Thursday. Price is the former acting director of the Office of General Services for the Maryland Department of Labor.

Walter O’Riley Poindexter, 50, of Windsor Mill, was also charged with procurement fraud and bribery in connection with the scheme.

According to prosecutors, starting in February 2020, Price conspired with Poindexter and Mark Sykes to steer over $479,000 in COVID-related cleaning contracts to Poindexter’s company (P-Dex) and Sykes’ company (Building Enterprises LLC).

Prosecutors said the scheme involved manipulating the procurement process, circumventing standard rules and procedures, and concealing material conflicts of interest. In exchange for Price’s assistance, Poindexter and Sykes paid bribes to Price totaling at least $88,000. --->READ MORE HERE

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