SPOKANE, WA – Two Eastern Washington residents are facing federal charges for allegedly ripping off COVID-19 relief programs, diverting funds meant to keep legitimate businesses afloat during the pandemic. The indictments, unsealed this week, are the latest fallout from a federal strike force dedicated to hunting down pandemic-related fraud.
Natasha Opsal, age 40, formerly of Spokane and now residing in Great Falls, Montana, is accused of submitting fraudulent applications for over $600,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. According to the indictment, Opsal allegedly concocted fictitious businesses to qualify for the loans, ultimately receiving more than $50,000. She’s been arrested and arraigned on nine counts of fraud.
The same day, a federal grand jury also indicted Yuriy P. Anishchenko, age 34, formerly of Spokane. His current location is listed as unknown, but he was last known to be residing in… [information truncated in source material]. Details of his alleged scheme haven’t been released, but authorities confirm he too faces charges related to fraudulent COVID-19 relief applications.
U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref, for the Eastern District of Washington, announced the indictments, emphasizing the urgency of prosecuting those who exploited the CARES Act. “COVID-19 relief programs quickly ran out of money due to the number of people and businesses that requested funding, which meant that some deserving small businesses were not able to obtain funding to keep their businesses in operation during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Waldref stated. “We created the COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force because it is critical to the strength and safety of our community in Eastern Washington that we all work together to combat pandemic-related fraud.”
The COVID-19 Relief Fraud Strike Force, launched in February 2022, is a multi-agency effort involving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, and others. The Strike Force aims to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud related to the billions of dollars in aid disbursed through the PPP and EIDL programs, much of which remains unpaid.
While the vast majority of aid recipients legitimately used the funds to survive the economic fallout of the pandemic, cases like these highlight the vulnerability of the system to abuse. Waldref’s office has promised continued investigations and prosecutions, vowing to hold accountable those who preyed on a crisis and diverted resources from struggling businesses. The indictments serve as a stark reminder that federal authorities are actively pursuing those who sought to profit from the pandemic at the expense of others.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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