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Boulder Man Sentenced for Pandemic Relief Funds Scam
A 41-year-old man from Boulder, Colorado, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud for taking money from pandemic relief funds.
Russell Bryant Lester, 41, of Boulder, Colorado, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud for taking money from pandemic relief funds by filing false applications.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced the plea on March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Lester made false statements to obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the SBA. He also made false statements to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment about not being employed in any capacity in order to collect pandemic unemployment benefits from the state.
The SBA funded four EIDLs for a total of $217,400, awarded three grants through the EIDL program totaling $16,000, and funded two PPP applications in an amount totaling $317,975. Lester also collected $17,578 in pandemic unemployment benefits from the state of Colorado.
Lester will be sentenced on February 7, 2023. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Denver Division.
**Mandatory Facts:**
- Defendant: Russell Bryant Lester
- Criminal Charges: Wire Fraud
- City and State: Boulder, Colorado
- Exact Date: March 27, 2020 (crime date)
- Sentence or Outcome: Pleaded guilty, awaiting sentencing
- Dollar Amounts: $217,400 (EIDLs), $16,000 (EIDL grants), $317,975 (PPP loans), $17,578 (pandemic unemployment benefits)
Key Facts
- State: Colorado
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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