Yuriy P. Anischenko, COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud, Washington 2022

SPOKANE, WA – Two men are facing the music after a grand jury handed down an eleven-count indictment accusing them of a brazen scheme to siphon millions from COVID-19 relief programs. Tyler Keith Andrews, 37, of Bentonville, Arkansas, and Yuriy P. Anischenko, 34, formerly of Spokane, Washington, are accused of systematically defrauding programs meant to keep legitimate businesses afloat during the pandemic.

The charges, announced today by U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref for the Eastern District of Washington, stem from a Superseding Indictment and are the latest salvo from the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force, formed in 2022 to crack down on pandemic-related grifts. The pair allegedly targeted the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs – initiatives designed to provide a lifeline to small businesses reeling from the economic fallout of COVID-19. Billions were disbursed, and the vast majority remains unpaid, with Eastern Washington seeing hundreds of millions flow through the system.

“COVID-19 relief programs quickly ran out of money due to the number of people and businesses that requested funding, which meant that some deserving small businesses could not obtain funding to keep their businesses open during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Waldref stated. “We created the COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force because it is critical to the strength and safety of our community in Eastern Washington that we all work together to combat pandemic-related fraud. Our dynamic Strike Force is ensuring that limited resources are provided to deserving local businesses that provide vital services for our communities.”

According to the indictment, Andrews and Anischenko weren’t interested in legitimate aid; they allegedly conspired to submit fraudulent applications for businesses that were either inactive or ineligible for funding. The scheme involved falsified information and a network of co-conspirators, with Anischenko allegedly pocketing over $300,000 from two defunct businesses – a portion of which was then shared with Andrews. Anischenko is accused of recruiting others to join the operation and connecting them with the fraudulent scheme.

The COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force is a multi-agency behemoth, pulling resources from the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, Department of Homeland Security OIG, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, General Services Administration OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, and others. The Strike Force boasts a track record of indictments, convictions, and recovered funds – millions of dollars returned to the public after being snatched by fraudsters.

The Superseding Indictment details eleven counts of fraud. While specific sentencing guidelines remain to be determined, a conviction could land both Andrews and Anischenko behind bars for significant stretches. This case serves as a stark reminder that those who preyed on the pandemic for personal gain will be held accountable. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities haven’t ruled out further charges or indictments as they continue to untangle the full scope of the conspiracy.

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