Profiles · Fraud defendants
- Type
- Person
- Role
- Defendant
- Programs
- PPP
- Updated
The profile
A 36-year-old Miramar, Florida recording artist charged, alongside a Pennsylvania man, in a $24 million PPP fraud scheme that saw his Ferrari seized.
Identity and role
Diamond Blue Smith, 36, of Miramar, Florida, a recording artist, was charged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in a PPP fraud scheme, alongside co-defendants including Tonye C. Johnson (28, of Flourtown, Pennsylvania), Phillip Augustin, Joshua Bellamy, Tiara Walker, Damion McKenzie, Andre Clark, Keyaira Bostic, Wyleia Williams, James Stote, Ross Charno, Deon Levy, and Abdul-Azeem Levy.
Biography / career arc
Smith's public record identifies him as a recording artist; he is associated with the business entities Blue Star Records LLC and Throwbackjersey.com LLC.
The scheme and pandemic-relief role
According to the Department of Justice, Smith was charged in connection with a scheme that sought more than $24 million in PPP loans, of which more than $17.4 million was disbursed, through Celtic Bank Corporation. He was charged October 6, 2020, by complaint (No. 1:20-mj-03723, S.D. Fla.) with wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. SBA PPP loan-level FOIA data confirm a loan to Blue Star Records LLC in Florida, approved May 21, 2020, later charged off with no forgiveness recorded. Law enforcement seized a Ferrari as part of the case.
Legal status / controversies
- Charged: October 6, 2020 — wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (No. 1:20-mj-03723).
- Pleaded guilty: August 4, 2021, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud (S.D. Fla.).
- Sentenced: December 16, 2021, to 20 months in prison, three years of supervised release and $1,111,345.23 in restitution, owed jointly with James Stote and Phillip Augustin. The government had asked for 37 months, the bottom of the 37-to-46-month guideline range it calculated.
Where they are now (2025–2026)
Not publicly documented.
Related profiles
Sources
- DOJ, "Florida Recording Artist and Pennsylvania Man Charged for Role in $24 Million COVID-Relief Fraud Scheme" — original: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/florida-recording-artist-and-pennsylvania-man-charged-role-24-million-covid-relief-fraud
- DOJ complaint (S.D. Fla., No. 1:20-mj-03723) — original: https://www.justice.gov/media/1131956/dl?inline
- DOJ Office of Public Affairs, "Two Florida Men Plead Guilty to $35 Million COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme" (reports Smith's plea and 20-month sentence) — original: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/two-florida-men-plead-guilty-35-million-covid-19-relief-fraud-scheme
- DOJ CARES Act Fraud tracker (archived) — original: https://web.archive.org/web/20250821004914/https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/cares-act-fraud Fraud Section Enforcement Related to the CARES Act (stored capture)
- SBA PPP FOIA loan-level data (Borrower: Blue Star Records LLC; approved 2020-05-21; status: charged off): SBA PPP FOIA loan-level data (original: data.sba.gov · stored capture)
- Court filings: United States v. Diamond Blue Smith (S.D. Fla.)
- Government sentencing memorandum, United States v. Diamond Blue Smith (S.D. Fla.), Nov. 30, 2021
- Judgment in a criminal case, United States v. Smith, S.D. Fla. No. 1:21-cr-20001, Dkt. 51 (Dec. 16, 2021)