Brandon Lewis, Wire Fraud, NC 2024

GREENSBORO, NC – Brandon Lewis, 34, of Greensboro, North Carolina, is facing the music after admitting to a trio of callous schemes designed to line his pockets during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lewis pleaded guilty today to two counts of wire fraud and one count of making false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA), effectively admitting to preying on both panicked consumers and struggling business owners.

According to court documents, Lewis perpetrated these scams between March and July 2020, a period marked by widespread fear and economic instability. The schemes weren’t just about stealing money; they involved exploiting the desperation of individuals seeking essential health and cleaning supplies while under lockdown, and businesses fighting to stay afloat. The details of the schemes weren’t immediately released, but authorities paint a picture of brazen opportunism.

“Brandon Lewis today admitted to a wide range of brazen schemes specifically designed to profit illegally from the COVID-19 pandemic by defrauding scores of frightened consumers and small business owners desperate for a financial lifeline,” stated Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The department and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue and hold accountable those who seek to illegally exploit the ongoing national emergency for their own personal benefit at the expense of hardworking Americans and businesses.”

U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina didn’t mince words, calling Lewis’s actions “the nadir of fraudulent conduct.” He emphasized the particularly egregious nature of stealing from those already vulnerable. “In the midst of a pandemic and as the economy suffered, this defendant lined his pockets by cheating online customers, small businesses, and, ultimately, all taxpayers,” Martin said. The investigation was a coordinated effort involving IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Small Business Administration Inspector General, and the Treasury Inspector General.

Law enforcement officials were unified in their condemnation. IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line called it “another example of greed controlling one’s actions.” The U.S. Postal Inspection Service vowed continued vigilance against pandemic-related fraud, while the SBA’s Office of Inspector General promised relentless pursuit of those who abuse SBA programs. Treasury Inspector General J. Russell George made it clear: anyone attempting illegal activity during the pandemic will be aggressively pursued.

Lewis’s sentencing is scheduled for November 30, 2020, before U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Eagles of the Middle District of North Carolina. While the exact penalties remain to be determined, Lewis can expect a harsh sentence for exploiting a national crisis for personal gain. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing.