Apocalypse Bella, COVID-Relief Loan Fraud, New York 2021

State: New York
Category: Fraud &#038; Financial Crimes
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/two-texas-men-and-one-oregon-man-charged-fraud-scheme-obtain-over-14-million-covid" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

Two Texas men and one Oregon man have been charged with participating in a fraudulent scheme to obtain over $14 million in Government-guaranteed loans designed to provide relief to small businesses during the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.

APOCALYPSE BELLA, a/k/a ‘Dias Yumba,’ MACKENZY TOUSSAINT, a/k/a ‘Mack,’ and AMOS MUNDENDI, a/k/a ‘Mos,’ a/k/a ‘El Ashile Mundi,’ were involved in an extensive scheme to prepare and submit fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program.

The defendants are charged with engaging in a scheme to obtain over $14 million in fraudulent loans from the government. The Coronavirus pandemic has profoundly affected the global economy, and Government-funded Coronavirus loan programs provide much-needed economic relief to individuals, families, and businesses suffering economic hardships.

According to the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court, the defendants submitted fake loan applications on behalf of various businesses, providing false information about the businesses’ income, expenses, and number of employees.

The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. TOUSSAINT and MUNDENDI are expected to be presented tomorrow before a U.S. magistrate judge in the Northern District of Texas. BELLA was arrested on March 18, 2021, in the Eastern District of Virginia.

U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said, ‘Apocalypse Bella and his co-defendants are charged with engaging in a scheme to obtain over $14 million in fraudulent loans from the government.’

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said, ‘As alleged in the indictment, the defendants in this case are charged with fraudulently securing loans intended to help honest small businesses and their employees deal with the pandemic’s economic effects.’

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