Related Federal Cases
New Jersey Man Charged with $860,000 Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Fraud
Butherde Darius, a 49-year-old resident of North Plainfield, New Jersey, has been arrested and charged with $860,000 Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan fraud. Darius is accused of submitting fraudulent loan applications on behalf of his business, Fabulous Appetizers LLC, and receiving approximately $862,000 in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds.
According to court documents, Darius submitted false tax information, certifications about his business’s employees and revenue, and other misleading statements to secure the loans. He then used the funds for personal expenses, including hotels and airfare, and made cash withdrawals of over $58,000.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was enacted on March 29, 2020, provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) allowed small businesses to receive forgivable loans to cover payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities.
Darius faces charges of bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. The bank fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million, while each count of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited special agents of the IRS – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General for their work on the case.
Butherde Darius is scheduled to make his initial appearance by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer.
Mandatory Facts: Defendant: Butherde Darius, Charges: Bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, City and State: North Plainfield, New Jersey, Date: April 29, 2026, Sentence: To be determined.
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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