COVID-19

A federal jury convicted a California man for submitting fraudulent applications seeking money from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), submitting false statements to a financial institution, and money laundering. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Robert Benlevi, 53, of Encino, submitted 27 PPP loan applications to four banks between April and June 2020 on behalf of eight...

An Oklahoma woman pleaded guilty in the Western District of New York for a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of over $43.8 million in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. According to court documents, Amanda J. Gloria, 45, of Altus, admitted that she...

Los Angeles – Two downtown Los Angeles residents were arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging they fraudulently obtained more than $300,000 – and attempted to obtain an additional $1 million – in COVID-relief loans for several companies they claimed to own and operate. Sean Schoepflin, 42, a.k.a. “Sean Fitzgerald,” and Erika Leon, 44, a.k.a. “Erika Fitzgerald,” are each charged...

A federal jury in the Western District of North Carolina convicted two men this week for the submission of fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $1.7 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. According to evidence presented during a six-day trial, Izzat...

Oshri deberá pagar las costas procesales de la corresponsal española por tratar de silenciar su serie de investigación California (USA) – Emprender acciones legales sin fundamento jurídico puede resultar costoso, sobre todo cuando el querellante tiene como objetivo censurar la libertad de expresión en temas de interés público y éste no presenta pruebas admisibles. Es decir, cuando se pierde una...

A California man pleaded guilty this week in the Central District of California to stealing government funds designed to aid medical providers in the treatment of patients suffering from COVID-19 and using them for his own personal benefit. According to court documents, Grigor Garibyan, 36, of North Hollywood, admitted that he owned GMA Home Health Inc. (GMA), a home health...

AN IMPORTANT NOTE: On June 22, 2021, Hadari Oshri –Marc Lubaszka’s business partner– filed a frivolous civil harassment restraining order (CHRO) against Investor News reporter Aitana Vargas to stop the publication of her investigative series “A Special Report: The Harrowing Impunity of White-Collar crime,” and any subsequent installments or future media coverage. On August 3, 2021, Vargas filed an...

Washington D.C., April 28, 2020 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against Praxsyn Corp. and its CEO for allegedly issuing false and misleading press releases claiming the company was able to acquire and supply large quantities of N95 or similar masks to protect wearers from the COVID-19 virus. The SEC previously issued an order on March 26...

District Attorney George Gascón released two public service announcements today warning people to beware of scams based on the increased demand for COVID-19 testing. “The best way to protect consumers is with knowledge. My goal is to give consumers the information they need to avoid becoming victims,” said District Attorney Gascón. “These crimes are particularly egregious because fake COVID-19 tests...

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Vicki Hackenberg, age 57, of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States Chief District Judge Matthew W. Brann, to 12 months of imprisonment for perpetrating a bank fraud and money laundering scheme that included nearly $300,000 in COVID-19 relief guaranteed by the Small...