A former Miami-Dade Police officer, Samuel Harris, 43, is facing a potential 20-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to wire fraud related to the COVID-19 relief programs. Harris wasn’t protecting the public; he was fleecing it. The feds say he fabricated details about his company, Oregen Digital, Inc., to siphon off over $285,000 in taxpayer money meant for struggling businesses.
Harris, who used to swear an oath to uphold the law, exploited the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs. He claimed Oregen Digital had ten employees and a monthly payroll exceeding $50,000 – a blatant lie, according to court documents. He backed up the claim with a forged IRS Form W-3, stating the company paid out over $602,000 in wages in 2019. The scheme worked, netting him a $125,579 PPP loan.
But the greed didn’t stop there. Harris then turned to the EIDL program, falsely reporting over $859,000 in gross revenues and, again, ten employees. This landed Oregen Digital a $10,000 EIDL advance and a further $149,900 in loan proceeds from the Small Business Administration (SBA). The feds are clear: Harris didn’t just bend the rules, he shattered them, using his position to further a calculated criminal act.
The plea hearing revealed the depth of the deception. Harris didn’t just submit applications; he actively manufactured false documents to support his claims. This wasn’t a simple paperwork error, it was a deliberate attempt to defraud the government and divert funds from legitimate businesses desperately trying to survive the pandemic. He acted as both owner and president of Oregen Digital, a company that appears to have existed solely as a vehicle for this fraud.
Federal prosecutors are painting a picture of a man who abused his trust and position for personal gain. The fact that Harris was a law enforcement officer while committing these crimes adds another layer of betrayal. This case serves as a stark reminder that fraud, even during times of national crisis, will be pursued relentlessly.
Harris is scheduled to be sentenced on September 25, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. While a 20-year maximum sentence is on the table, the actual punishment will depend on a variety of factors, including Harris’s cooperation with investigators. The feds are sending a message: exploiting a national emergency for personal profit will come with serious consequences.
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