QUITMAN, GA – Darrius Hollis, 28, is headed back to federal prison after being sentenced to 42 months for a brazen scheme to steal CARES Act funds using the identities of others. The repeat offender, already serving supervised release for a prior fraud conviction, exploited the pandemic relief system, adding to a growing pile of cases hitting the federal courts.
U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson handed down the sentence on March 23, following Hollis’s guilty plea to wire fraud. The 42-month term combines 30 months for the current offense and an additional 12 months tacked onto his previously revoked supervised release. Judge Lawson also ordered Hollis to pay $42,667 in restitution to the Georgia Department of Labor, attempting to recoup some of the stolen funds.
The case began to unravel in August 2020 when a U.S. Secret Service Special Agent, already familiar with Hollis’s criminal history, received a tip about potentially fraudulent unemployment claims. A query with the Department of Labor revealed a claim filed in Hollis’s name, stating he’d lost a job due to the pandemic. The catch? Hollis was *in* federal prison for much of the claimed employment period, only released in late April 2020.
Investigators quickly determined Hollis hadn’t stopped at his own fraudulent claim. He’d stolen the identities of two victims to apply for and receive both unemployment insurance and CARES Act money. The total loss attributed to Hollis’s scheme amounts to $42,337, impacting both the State of Georgia and the federal government. This isn’t a victimless crime; it’s money stolen from a system meant to help those genuinely struggling during the pandemic.
This case is part of a larger push by the Attorney General’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, established in May 2021 to combat pandemic-related fraud. The task force aims to coordinate resources across various agencies to investigate and prosecute those exploiting the crisis for personal gain. The Justice Department has made it clear: those who prey on pandemic relief programs will be held accountable.
Anyone suspecting COVID-19 related fraud is urged to report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or through their online complaint form. The investigation was a joint effort by the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Georgia Department of Labor. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers prosecuted the case, securing Hollis’s return to a federal prison cell.
Related Federal Cases
- Eijroghene Okuma, $10M Investment Fraud, Atlanta GA, 2023 · Georgia
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- Sark Wire Corporation, PPP Fraud, Albany NY, 2023 · Pennsylvania
- James Pavlounis, Social Security Disability Benefits Fraud, New Roc… · Pennsylvania
- Emily Wilson, Investment Adviser Fraud, Pennsylvania, 2023 · Georgia
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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