United States v. Elias Eldabbagh — U.S. District Court, D.D.C.

Case summary

Elias Eldabbagh was prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, No. 1:21-cr-00523-TNM. A grand jury returned an indictment on August 17, 2021 charging wire fraud, engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived funds, aggravated identity theft and destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure. He pleaded guilty on April 8, 2022 to one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived funds. The government's sentencing memorandum states that he filed 29 fraudulent applications claiming more than $31 million in Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds, resulting in the theft of $2,385,000, and asks for 168 months. The defense asked for 42 months. No judgment is on this page.

Case at a glance

What did Eldabbagh plead guilty to?

One count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957, entered on April 8, 2022. The indictment, plea agreement and statement of offense on this page are scans whose extracted text is page stamps only.

What did the government say the loss was?

Its sentencing memorandum of August 18, 2022 states 29 fraudulent applications claiming more than $31 million in PPP and EIDL funds and the theft of $2,385,000, and describes a separate scheme against at least five state employment agencies for at least $173,931 in unemployment insurance and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds.

What sentences did the parties ask for?

The government asked for 168 months' incarceration, three years of supervised release, restitution of $2,452,050 and a forfeiture money judgment. The defense memorandum asked for 42 months in prison followed by 12 months of home confinement and three years of supervised release.