ALBANY, NY – Christopher Mozone, 36, of Albany, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 41 months for a brazen scheme to steal pandemic relief funds. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the sentence today, detailing a calculated fraud that preyed on a system designed to help struggling businesses.
Mozone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, admitting he fabricated a business to secure a $124,800 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). No such business existed. The loan was intended to provide a lifeline to legitimate enterprises reeling from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, but Mozone saw it as a personal windfall.
Instead of using the funds as intended, Mozone diverted the money to lavish personal expenses. Court records reveal he blew nearly $10,000 on jewelry and treated himself to a trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey – a clear indication of his disregard for the true purpose of the relief program and the hardship faced by others. The Secret Service’s Albany Resident Office led the investigation, uncovering the extent of Mozone’s deception.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn didn’t show leniency. In addition to the 41-month prison sentence, Mozone will face a three-year term of supervised release upon his release. The judge also ordered him to pay $43,378.08 in restitution to the SBA, a fraction of the stolen funds, but a step toward accountability.
The case is part of a larger effort by the Department of Justice’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, established in May 2021 to combat pandemic-related fraud. The task force aims to prosecute those who exploited the crisis for personal gain, and this sentencing serves as a warning to others contemplating similar schemes. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Michael D. Gadarian secured the conviction.
Anyone suspecting COVID-19 related fraud is encouraged to report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or through their online complaint form. While Mozone is behind bars, the hunt for others who exploited the pandemic continues. This case underscores the Secret Service’s commitment to protecting vital federal programs from those who seek to abuse them for personal enrichment.
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- Elaine Monique Zavala-Charres, $260K IRS Mail Fraud, NY, 2023 · New Jersey
- Ijaz Butt Sentenced to 63 Months for Credit Card Fraud, New York NY… · New Jersey
- William E. Grobes IV, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering, VA 2024 · Virginia
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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