A St. George businessman has been sentenced to 29 months in prison for fraudulently receiving over $685,000 in COVID-relief funds.
Bradford, Leland Fishback, 40, of St. George, was handed down the sentence by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby on [date] after admitting to fraudulently obtaining government funds from programs intended to help employees and small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fishback, owner of four businesses, including Circle CPA, Fishback Tax, Snowflake Shavery, and World Horizons Outreach, submitted false claims to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) between 2020 and 2022. He used these false claims to receive $482,058.46 in Employee Retention Tax Credits, $77,629 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, and $137,573 in Economic Injury Disaster (EID) loans.
In addition to the loans, Fishback also submitted false applications for unemployment benefits to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, resulting in him receiving $45,831 in benefits. In total, Fishback’s false statements resulted in him claiming $903,882.88 and receiving $685,845.05 in COVID-relief funds.
The case was investigated jointly by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dent and Jennifer K. Muyskens of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Fishback was also ordered to pay $685,845.05 in restitution as part of his sentence. His three-year supervised release will begin after he serves his 29-month prison term.
The sentence serves as a harsh reminder of the consequences of COVID-relief fund abuse. Fishback’s actions not only harmed the economy but also took advantage of a system designed to support those in need during a time of crisis.
RELATED: St. George Businessman Sentenced for $685K COVID-Relief Fraud
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Key Facts
- State: Utah
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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