Former Greeley Man and Parker Woman Indicted for Defrauding COVID-19 Relief Programs
Robert Crust, a 46-year-old former Greeley resident, and Bethany Williams, a 44-year-old Parker resident, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Colorado for their alleged involvement in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration and lenders to obtain emergency COVID-19 relief funds.
According to the indictment, Crust and Williams participated in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration and lenders to obtain emergency COVID-19 relief funds. Crust made or caused the submission of loan applications and documents that contained material misrepresentations, all in furtherance of fraudulently obtaining loans on behalf of three Colorado businesses that he owned or managed.
Crust also submitted fabricated documents to lenders, including tax forms and a payroll report that Crust manipulated to falsely inflate the number of employees and payroll. Williams also made materially false statements in connection with two loan applications on behalf of one of the businesses. The three businesses collectively received nearly $1 million in loan proceeds.
Despite representing in the loan documents that the funds would be used for legitimate business expenses, the indictment alleges that Crust and Williams used the funds for personal expenses, including airline travel and hotel accommodations while vacationing in Las Vegas. Crust used loan proceeds to purchase a 2012 BMW X5 vehicle, a Jaguar E-PACE vehicle, and a boat.
Crust was arrested in Tampa, Florida, on May 21, 2025, and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Natalie Hirt Adams the following day. Williams made her initial appearance in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Cyrus Y. Chung on May 20, 2025.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s Denver Field Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore O’Brien and Craig Fansler.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Robert Crust
Criminal Charges: Five counts of wire fraud and six counts of money laundering
City and State: Greeley, Colorado
Exact Date: May 20, 2025 (Williams’ initial appearance), May 21, 2025 (Crust’s arrest)
Sentence or Outcome: Currently being investigated and awaiting trial
Dollar Amounts: The three businesses collectively received nearly $1 million in loan proceeds
Related Federal Cases
- Amin Suliaman, COVID-19 Loan Fraud, Colorado 2024 · Washington
- Alexander Alli, COVID-19 Relief Wire Fraud, Florida 2024 · Alabama
- Cheyenne Couple, Covid-19 Relief Fraud, Wyoming 2022 · Wyoming
- Robert Hybertson, Obstruction of IRS, Colorado 2017 · South Dakota
- Benedict T. Palen, Jr., Mail Fraud, Colorado 2017 · Kansas
Key Facts
- State: Colorado
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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