Ocala, Florida – Levelle Joseph Harris, a 38-year-old resident of Kissimmee, Florida, is facing serious time after admitting guilt to four counts of wire fraud. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the plea today, revealing a brazen scheme designed to dodge a hefty $640,911.85 criminal forfeiture order. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison – a considerable risk for a repeat offender.
This isn’t Harris’s first rodeo. Court records show he previously swindled $1,283,029.81 in COVID-19 relief funds back in 2020. He used those ill-gotten gains to buy a residential property, leading to a federal prosecution and conviction on 14 counts of wire fraud. The government rightfully moved to seize the property as proceeds of the crime. But Harris, rather than face the music, concocted a new layer of deceit.
Before sentencing in the initial COVID fraud case, Harris claimed he’d sold the property and turned over the proceeds to the United States. A lie, as it turned out. Federal agents quickly discovered the sale was illegitimate. Undeterred, Harris then launched a new fraudulent scheme between February 7, 2022, and January 31, 2023. He secured a mortgage on the same property through a series of false representations, using the funds to pay off the original criminal forfeiture and essentially pocket the difference – another $640,911.85.
The audacity is remarkable. Harris attempted to use the system *against* the system, layering fraud upon fraud in a desperate attempt to hold onto stolen money. This wasn’t a momentary lapse in judgment; it was a calculated, multi-stage operation designed to enrich himself at the expense of taxpayers and the justice system.
The investigation was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson leading the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Harrington is handling the complex forfeiture proceedings. This case serves as a stark reminder that attempts to obstruct justice and conceal criminal proceeds will be met with swift and decisive action.
Anyone suspecting COVID-19 related fraud is urged to report it to the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) via their web complaint form: www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. A sentencing date for Harris has not yet been set, but with four counts of wire fraud and a significant forfeiture order looming, he’s likely facing a long stretch behind bars.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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