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Fayette County Auto Salesman Sentenced for Role in COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme (Press Release)

Summary

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania, dated March 5, 2024, announcing that United States Senior District Judge Arthur J. Schwab sentenced Terrence Newmeyer Jr. to one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release, including six months of home incarceration and six months of home detention. Newmeyer was ordered to pay restitution of $31,280 for conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud. According to information provided to the Court, Newmeyer was a salesman at RC Auto, a used car dealership in Fayette County, and with owner Joshua DeWitt filed fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The release states that DeWitt was sentenced on February 14, 2024, to 10 months of imprisonment.

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“Fayette County Auto Salesman Sentenced for Role in COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme (Press Release).” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2024-03-06-fayette-county-auto-salesman-sentenced-for-role-in-covid-19-f1c558c9fb/, SHA-256 dab5c840fe136a5b29313ed6e36b58e86b5aa599f19e2d869ce6dbf7b23a0d3a.

Full text

PRESS RELEASE



Fayette County Auto Salesman
Sentenced for Role in COVID-19
Relief Fraud Scheme
Tuesday, March 5, 2024

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today in
federal court for conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan
announced today.

United States Senior District Judge Arthur J. Schwab sentenced Terrence Newmeyer Jr.,
46, to one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release, including six
months of home incarceration and six months of home detention. Newmeyer was also
ordered to pay restitution in the total amount of $31,280.

According to information provided to the Court, Newmeyer was a salesman at RC Auto,
a used car dealership in Fayette County. Along with his co-conspirator and RC Auto
owner Joshua DeWitt, Newmeyer filed a series of fraudulent applications for Pandemic
Unemployment Assistance benefits and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) COVID-19
relief loans, including on behalf of customers, telling some that they were applying for
funds that could be used to purchase a vehicle from the dealership. DeWitt and
Newmeyer used the fraudulently obtained pandemic benefits for themselves and the
dealership, by—among other things—accepting them as payment for vehicles and
services sold.

DeWitt was sentenced on February 14, 2024, to 10 months of imprisonment, to be
followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in
the total amount of $60,022.50.

Prior to imposing sentence on Newmeyer, Judge Schwab stated that the fraud
conspiracy lasted for many months and involved intentional criminal activity.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Bengel prosecuted this case on behalf of the
government.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Department of Labor
Office of the Inspector General, Pennsylvania State Police, and Fayette County District
Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of
Newmeyer.

Updated March 5, 2024

Topics
CORONAVIRUS

FINANCIAL FRAUD
Component
USAO - Pennsylvania, Western


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