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ProfilePerson

Jonatan Ben David Prieto Ruiz De Val

Defendant

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

The profile

The courier of a Puerto Rico PPP and EIDL ring, alias "Johnny Millones," who delivered kickbacks, took $123,000 in loans himself and was the first of six defendants sentenced: 27 months in prison and $295,438.97 in restitution, in February 2025.

Identity and role

Jonatan Ben David Prieto Ruiz De Val, whom the indictment gives the alias "Johnny Millones," 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 indictment describes him as a money courier who personally coordinated and delivered kickback payments.

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, supported by inflated 2019 income on tax forms. Recruits paid kickbacks of about $5,000 per loan, usually by check and sometimes in cash. The plea agreements count at least 154 kickback checks totaling $682,775.50, and put the ring's take at $5,915,290.33 from 223 PPP loans plus $3,105,300 in EIDL money.

In his plea agreement Prieto Ruiz De Val admitted that he obtained PPP and EIDL loans totaling $123,000 himself and received six of the kickback checks, totaling $33,250. The indictment's PPP table lists loans of $20,800 to him on August 4, 2020 and February 16, 2021.

  • Indicted: March 30, 2023, on conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
  • Pleaded guilty: to Count 1 (conspiracy to commit wire fraud) and Count 21 (conspiracy to commit money laundering), under a plea and forfeiture agreement filed September 27, 2024.
  • Sentenced: February 20, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón, to 27 months in prison, five years of supervised release and $295,438.97 in restitution; the remaining counts were dismissed. An amended judgment of July 22, 2025 changed only the restitution payee.

Where they are now (2025–2026)

The judgment directed him to surrender to the facility the Bureau of Prisons designated. We found no later public record of him.

Sources

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