Miami’s Carlos Vazquez Gets 42 Months for $921K PPP Fraud

Miami resident Carlos Vazquez, 57, is headed to federal prison for 42 months after admitting he stole $921,875 from the Paycheck Protection Program meant to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic. The funds, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the CARES Act, were funneled to his company, Big League LLC, with falsified tax records and phantom payroll claims.

Vazquez pleaded guilty on September 13, 2021, in the Southern District of Florida to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Court documents reveal he lied about the number of employees on his payroll and inflated wage figures to qualify for the massive forgivable loan — a betrayal of a program designed for struggling entrepreneurs, not criminal enrichment.

Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks handed down the sentence on November 16, 2021, ordering 42 months behind bars followed by three years of supervised release. Vazquez was also hit with a restitution order of $921,875 — the full amount he scammed from the relief effort meant to sustain workers and businesses during a national crisis.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hayden Patrick O’Byrne, with asset forfeiture handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda. The IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office led the investigation, tracking the paper trail that exposed Vazquez’s scheme.

U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez and IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line confirmed the sentencing. The Fraud Section of the Department of Justice, which oversees PPP-related prosecutions, has now brought charges against over 100 defendants in more than 70 cases nationwide, seizing more than $65 million in cash, luxury goods, and real estate purchased with stolen relief funds.

The DOJ’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, launched May 17, 2021, continues to target pandemic-related scams. Tips on suspected fraud can be reported via the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or online at the DOJ’s complaint portal. Court records are available in case number 21-cr-20231 at the Southern District of Florida’s public docket.