California Man Rindal Pierre-Canel Pleads Guilty to PPP Loan Scam

BOSTON – In a brazen display of greed, 30-year-old Rindal Pierre-Canel, a former Randolph, Massachusetts resident now living in Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to submitting fake Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of multiple companies he owns and controls.

Between March 2021 and May 2021, Pierre-Canel submitted three fraudulent applications seeking and receiving over $50,000 in PPP funds. Two of the applications were submitted in Pierre-Canel’s own name, while the third application used the stolen personal identifying information of a victim.

The submissions included false representations about the existence and income of businesses, along with fake tax documents to support these lies. Pierre-Canel used the funds he received from the fraudulent PPP loan applications on personal expenses, including flights to California and designer clothing.

The charges of wire fraud each carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Rindal Pierre-Canel’s guilty plea is a significant blow to his efforts to cheat the system. The defendant was arrested and charged in January 2025, and his sentencing is scheduled for October 1, 2025.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Cambridge and Hermosa Beach (Calif.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.

Pierre-Canel’s guilty plea is a reminder that those who commit white-collar crimes will be held accountable for their actions. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.