Manchester Man Sentenced for Defrauding State and Federal Taxpayers of Nearly $300K in Pandemic Relief Funds (May 16, 2025)

Summary

Press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office, dated May 16, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announced that U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty sentenced Kyereem Sackey of Manchester to 18 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release, with restitution of $295,167. Sackey pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of bank fraud. According to court documents, Sackey filed unemployment insurance claims in New York on behalf of a dozen individuals and himself resulting in more than $250,000 in benefits, and fraudulently obtained more than $30,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans using a business that did not exist.

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 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                  CONTACT: JESSICA A. KURON
 May 16, 2025                                                                                                                           603-230-2526
 www.justice.gov/usao/nh                                                                                                      usanh.media@usdoj.gov
   @USAO_NH                                                                                                                    Press Release 2025-209
   Manchester Man Sentenced for Defrauding State and Federal Taxpayers of Nearly $300K
                                in Pandemic Relief Funds

         CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced for his involvement in a scheme to
  fraudulently obtain CARES Act funds from the United States government and the State of New
  York, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

         Kyereem Sackey, age 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty
  to 18 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. Sackey was also ordered to
  make restitution in the amount of $295,167. In January 2025, Sackey pleaded guilty to one
  count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of bank fraud.

           “The defendant exploited a national crisis for personal gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney
  Jay McCormack. “He stole nearly $300k in pandemic relief funds that were meant to support
  struggling families and small businesses. This office will continue to investigate and prosecute
  those who stole from the government during the pandemic and intentionally depleted the public
  fisc for personal profit.”

           "While the entire world was focused on dealing with a pandemic, Kyereem Sackey was
  selfishly focused on exploiting programs designed to help people struggling financially to instead
  enrich himself,” said Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston
  Division. “With today’s sentence, Mr. Sackey has been held accountable for cheating taxpayers,
  and the FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to
  justice those who have committed similar crimes.”

         “Kyereem Sackey and his co-defendants engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain New
  York Department of Labor pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and Small
  Business Administration Payroll Protection Program loans. We will continue to work with our
  law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who seek to exploit these critical benefit
  programs,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department
  of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

          According to the court documents and statements made in court, Sackey used social
  media to conspire with others to file false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.
  Sackey filed unemployment insurance claims in the State of New York on behalf of a co-
  defendant, which he was not entitled to. When the money was deposited into the co-defendant’s
  bank account, a portion of the money was sent to Sackey and another co-defendant. Sackey and
  his co-defendants filed approximately $50,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. In
  addition to the claim made on behalf of his co-defendant, Sackey filed claims on behalf of a
  dozen individuals as well as himself resulting in more than $250,000 in fraudulent
  unemployment benefits to be paid by the State of New York.
        Sackey also used a co-defendant’s information to apply for Paycheck Protection Program
(PPP) loans using a false and fraudulent business that did not exist. Sackey provided the bank
with false documents, including fabricated tax documents. Court records show that Sackey
fraudulently applied for and obtained more than $30,000 in PPP loans.

      The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector
General led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police
Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Kennedy is prosecuting the case.

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