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Two Individuals Sentenced to Prison in Connection With $7.5 Million Multi-State PPP Fraud Scheme
BOSTON – Grimy Times has uncovered a heinous scheme to rip off millions in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds, with two individuals now behind bars.
Adiana Pierre, 39, of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., was sentenced on June 7, 2024 by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 17 months in prison and three years of supervised release on June 7, 2024. Her accomplice, Gardy Alexandre, 51, of West Palm Beach, Fla., received a 15-month prison sentence and three years of supervised release on May 28, 2024.
The duo conspired to submit fake PPP applications on behalf of numerous businesses and non-profit organizations across the United States, including those in Massachusetts. They fabricated employee numbers and monthly payroll expenses, and submitted false wage and tax forms to secure loan amounts.
Between May and August 2020, the scam resulted in approximately $7 million in PPP funds being obtained by Pierre, Alexandre, and their co-conspirators. The borrowers who received these funds paid kickbacks to the group, collectively earning them over $1 million in illicit payments.
The scheme unraveled after authorities began investigating the suspicious activities of Wallace Ford, 38, of Buford, Ga., who is set to be sentenced at a later date. Ford, Pierre, and Alexandre pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to engage in unlawful monetary transactions in February 2024.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, established by the Attorney General in May 2021, has been instrumental in combating pandemic-related fraud. The task force has been working tirelessly to identify resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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