Profiles · Fraud defendants
- Type
- Person
- Role
- Defendant
- Programs
- PPP
- Updated
The profile
A Pennsylvania towing-company owner who got a $389,627 PPP loan on falsified records in a $24 million South Florida scheme; he pleaded guilty and was sentenced in July 2021 to 18 months in prison and $165,722.13 in restitution.
Identity and role
Tonye C. Johnson, 28 when charged, of Flourtown, Pennsylvania, owned Synergy Towing & Transport LLC. He was charged by criminal complaint in the Southern District of Florida (No. 0:20-mj-06450), arrested on October 1, 2020, and released on a $100,000 bond. His case became United States v. Johnson, No. 0:21-cr-60017 (S.D. Fla.), with a one-count information filed January 15, 2021. The Justice Department announced his arrest together with that of Diamond Blue Smith, a Florida recording artist, as part of a scheme that sought more than $24 million in PPP loans.
The scheme and pandemic-relief role
According to the Justice Department, Johnson obtained a PPP loan of $389,627 for Synergy Towing on falsified information and documents, inflating its employee count and monthly payroll; the complaint alleged that he paid part of the proceeds to co-conspirators. The department says he worked with James Stote and others to get the loan. His restitution, $165,722.13, is less than half the loan; his forfeiture money judgment was set at the same $165,722.13.
Legal status / controversies
- Charged: criminal complaint (wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy), unsealed October 6, 2020; information, January 15, 2021.
- Pleaded guilty: April 20, 2021, before Magistrate Judge Patrick M. Hunt, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 371), under a plea agreement; U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman accepted the plea on June 29, 2021.
- Sentenced: July 29, 2021, by video conference, to 18 months in prison, three years of supervised release and $165,722.13 in restitution, with a surrender date of September 29, 2021 (judgment entered July 30, 2021).
Where they are now (2025–2026)
A second preliminary forfeiture order was entered in September 2021. We found no later public record of him.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Justice, "Florida Recording Artist and Pennsylvania Man Charged for Role in $24 Million COVID-Relief Fraud Scheme" (Oct. 6, 2020) — original: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/florida-recording-artist-and-pennsylvania-man-charged-role-24-million-covid-relief-fraud
- U.S. Attorney's Office, S.D. Fla., "Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud" (Aug. 3, 2021) — original: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/man-sentenced-covid-19-relief-fraud
- Plea agreement of Tonye Johnson, United States v. Johnson, No. 0:21-cr-60017 (S.D. Fla.), Doc. 30 (Apr. 20, 2021) — original: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.584817/gov.uscourts.flsd.584817.30.0.pdf
- Judgment as to Tonye Johnson, United States v. Johnson, No. 0:21-cr-60017 (S.D. Fla.), Doc. 57 (July 30, 2021) — original: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.584817/gov.uscourts.flsd.584817.57.0.pdf
- Docket, United States v. Johnson, No. 0:21-cr-60017 (S.D. Fla.) — original: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/29111207/united-states-v-johnson/
- Related profile: James Stote
- Related profile: Diamond Blue Smith
- Related profile: Andre Clark