Lee County Man Pleads Guilty In Connection With $1.35 Million COVID Relief Fraud Scheme
Summary
A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida dated Thursday, December 14, 2023, announcing that Evan Graves, 40, of Alva pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with a $1.35 million COVID relief fraud and faces up to 20 years in federal prison. It states that he agreed to forfeit approximately $1,355,600 and six properties in Fort Myers bought or funded with the proceeds. According to the plea agreement, between June 20 and July 23, 2020 he submitted 10 Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications for his Fort Myers-based companies, misstating their employees, gross revenues and lost rental income.
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Press Release Lee County Man Pleads Guilty In Connection With $1.35 Million COVID Relief Fraud Scheme Thursday, December 14, 2023 For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Evan Graves (40, Alva) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with a $1.35 million COVID relief fraud scheme. Graves faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. As part of his guilty plea, Graves has agreed to forfeit approximately $1,355,600 and six properties in Fort Myers that he had purchased or funded using proceeds of his fraud. According to the plea agreement and other court documents, between June 20 and July 23, 2020, Graves electronically submitted 10 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) on behalf of his various Fort Myers-based companies. In each EIDL application, Graves falsely represented his companies’ number of employees, gross revenues, and lost rental income due to the COVID-19 disaster to qualify for large loan amounts and advance funding. In total, Graves’s fraudulent representations caused the SBA to approve his 10 loans and deposit approximately $1.35 million into bank accounts controlled by Graves. Following disbursement of the EIDL funding, Graves unlawfully used the money to, among other things, pay off personal credit card debt, fund personal investment accounts, satisfy mortgages, and purchase real estate. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is handling the forfeiture. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Download Plea Agreement Updated December 14, 2023 Topics Coronavirus Disaster Fraud Financial Fraud Component USAO - Florida, Middle Related Content Press Release Former Church Records And Finance Manager Sentenced To Federal Prison For Embezzling Over $875,000 Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Heather Darrey (45, Tampa) to 27 months in federal prison for wire fraud. As part of her sentence, the court also entered an... November 14, 2024 Press Release Paroled Felon Sentenced To Six Years For Fraudulent Use Of Social Security Number And Theft Of Benefits Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Kellis Dion Jackson (63, Pinellas Park), a/k/a Chandler Dante Alexander, to six years in federal prison for making a false statement to... November 7, 2024 Press Release Owner And Manager Of Cape Coral Roofing Company Plead Guilty To Tax Fraud Conspiracy Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that William Skaggs, Jr. and Billie Adkison today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit tax fraud. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years... November 7, 2024
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