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ProfilePerson

Augusto A. Lemus Berríos

Defendant

PPP · EIDL
Type
Person
Role
Defendant
Programs
PPP, EIDL
Updated

The profile

A defendant in a Puerto Rico PPP and EIDL ring, alias "Primo," who the indictment says prepared fake supporting documents for loan applications; by April 2025 the judge wrote that every defendant had pleaded guilty, and in January 2026 prosecutors said three were still awaiting sentence.

Identity and role

Augusto A. Lemus Berríos, whom the indictment gives the alias "Primo," was one of six defendants indicted on March 30, 2023, in United States v. Pentzke-Lemus, No. 3:23-cr-00130 (D.P.R.). The court docket spells his surname "Lemus-Berrios." The indictment says he assisted in preparing fraudulent PPP applications, including by preparing fraudulent supporting documentation.

The scheme and pandemic-relief role

According to the indictment, organizer Manfred A. Pentzke Lemus recruited people to file PPP applications with a San Juan bank, "Bank 1," and EIDL applications with the SBA. The co-defendants' plea agreements describe applications backed by Internal Revenue Service Form 1040PR and Puerto Rico tax form 480.6 showing 2019 income that did not appear in the applicants' real tax filings, and kickbacks of about $5,000 per loan. They put the ring's take at $5,915,290.33 from 223 PPP loans plus $3,105,300 in EIDL money. The public record does not say which applications Lemus Berríos prepared.

  • Indicted: March 30, 2023, on conspiracy to commit wire fraud (Count 1), wire fraud (Counts 2–20) and conspiracy to commit money laundering (Count 21).
  • Plea: he moved to change his plea in August 2024, and his change-of-plea hearing was set with the organizer's and Jonatan Ben David Prieto Ruiz De Val's for September 24, 2024. On April 7, 2025 U.S. District Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón wrote that in this case and three consolidated cases "the defendants have entered guilty pleas." We do not have a copy of his plea agreement.
  • Sentencing: on January 29, 2026 the U.S. Attorney's Office said three of the organizer's co-defendants were awaiting sentence. Court records show the two already sentenced were Jonatan Ben David Prieto Ruiz De Val and Carlos Manfredo Pentzke Chamorro, which puts Lemus Berríos among the three.

Where they are now (2025–2026)

We found no public record of his sentencing after January 2026.

Sources

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