Ramel D. Thompson, a 60-year-old Omaha man, has been sentenced to 70 months in prison for his role in a COVID-19 relief program scam, federal authorities announced.
Thompson, who was sentenced on April 25, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, was also ordered to pay $2,518,556.75 in restitution for the loans and grants he and his co-conspirators obtained through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, Thompson provided direction and assistance to others in preparing and submitting applications containing material misrepresentations to obtain inflated PPP and EIDL loans and grants on behalf of their businesses during 2020 and 2021.
Thompson and his co-conspirators submitted applications that overstated the businesses’ past compensation and revenue, and understated their expenses. They also created and submitted false tax documents, including phony tax returns that were not filed with the IRS.
The scam targeted the COVID-19 relief programs established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans affected by the pandemic.
The total amount of fraudulent applications submitted by Thompson and his co-conspirators was approximately $5,844,999, with co-conspirators obtaining $2,442,616. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General.
Thompson’s sentence includes a 3-year term of supervised release after his release from prison. The case is part of the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat pandemic-related fraud, which include the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force established by the Attorney General in May 2021.
If you suspect someone of attempting to commit COVID-19 relief program fraud, you can report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Thompson’s sentence serves as a reminder that those who seek to exploit the system for personal gain will be held accountable. The Department of Justice will continue to work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute those who engage in pandemic-related fraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it to the authorities. Together, we can prevent and combat pandemic-related fraud.
Related Federal Cases
- Whitlow Sentenced for Elderly Fraud Scheme · Kansas
- Susan Hacker Sentenced in Social Security Fraud Scheme · Nebraska
- Omaha Woman Pleads Guilty in $11.5K Tax Refund Fraud Scheme · Nebraska
- Fort Worth Man Sentenced to 120 Months for $5M Cattle Scheme Fraud · Texas
- Paxton Carrier Sentenced for Mortgage Fraud Scheme · Nebraska
Key Facts
- State: Nebraska
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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