Barrett Purvis, Wire Fraud, Florida 2024

Related Federal Cases

Patrick Merrill Brody, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering, Salt Lake C… · Washington
Stuart C. Cole, Mail Fraud, Extortion, Money Laundering, St Pete Be… · Texas
Pam Bondi, Money Laundering Challenge, Austin TX, 2023 · Texas
Christopher B. Epps, Bribery and Wire Fraud, Jackson MS, 2023 · Mississippi
Antonio Hernandez-Vilar, Card Fraud Ring Leadership, Tampa FL, 2015 · Florida

Table of Contents

Tampa Man Guilty of Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Tampa FL, 2024

A federal jury in Tampa has found Barrett Purvis (54, Tampa) guilty of wire fraud and money laundering. Purvis faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offense and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the money laundering offense. Sentencing is scheduled for August 12, 2024. Purvis was indicted on March 30, 2023.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Purvis applied for and received a $500,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the Small Business Administration during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2021. Although he applied on behalf of a legitimate small business he owned and operated, Purvis never intended to use any of the loan proceeds on working capital as required by the terms of the loan agreement. Instead, Purvis spent approximately half of the proceeds on gambling debt and the rest on other personal debt, including debt incurred on his girlfriend’s three credit cards. Within two weeks of receiving the loan, Purvis had used nearly all the proceeds on personal expenses, unrelated to any legitimate business.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.

U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the guilty verdict, stating that Purvis’s actions were a betrayal of the trust placed in him as a small business owner. The case highlights the importance of vigilance in preventing and detecting pandemic-related fraud.

The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, established by the Attorney General in May 2021, played a crucial role in investigating and prosecuting this case. The task force brings together agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud.

In related news, the Attorney General has emphasized the need for continued vigilance in preventing pandemic-related fraud. As the country continues to recover from the pandemic, it is essential to remain vigilant and protect against those who would seek to exploit the system.

Barrett Purvis’s guilty verdict serves as a reminder that those who engage in pandemic-related fraud will be held accountable for their actions. The case is a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors who work tirelessly to bring justice to those who have been victimized by pandemic-related fraud.