密歇根男子参与薪酬保护计划诈骗获刑70个月：协助29份虚假申请，团伙骗取约910万美元
美国司法部特拉华区联邦检察官办公室宣布，密歇根州 Kentwood 居民 Carl Lawrence（50岁）因参与诈骗薪酬保护计划（PPP），于10月20日被联邦法院判处70个月监禁。联邦地区法官 Jennifer L. Hall 在特拉华州 Wilmington 作出判决。
法庭文件显示，Lawrence 经营一家企业咨询公司，在网上结识 Wilmington 的报税员 Jady Solano 后，两人合谋诈骗这一旨在在疫情期间保住就业的联邦计划。Lawrence 把咨询客户介绍给 Solano，由 Solano 为他们准备虚假申请；Lawrence 本人也伪造申请文件。
Lawrence 共协助29份虚假申请，导致超过470万美元贷款被违规发放；他本人从中获利近45万美元，法院已下令全部没收。由 Lawrence 与 Solano 主导的整个团伙共骗取约910万美元疫情救济资金。法院另判 Lawrence 赔偿4,736,088.37美元、没收447,061.77美元，出狱后接受3年监管释放。
该团伙共有8人被起诉：Solano 已被判80个月监禁并赔偿9,181,830.99美元；Shatoya Moss 被判18个月；Brigette Miller-Levy 被判24个月；Marvin Edwards 被判16个月；Amber Baldwin 与 Devlon Porter 已经审判定罪、等待量刑；Anthony McKinzy 已被起诉、潜逃在外。被起诉但尚未定罪者，其涉案指控仅为指控，在法庭证明有罪之前推定无罪。
联邦检察官 Benjamin L. Wallace 说，盗窃纳税人的钱始终是严重罪行，而这些钱本是用来在疫情期间保住勤劳美国人工作的，性质尤为严重；Lawrence 将在联邦监狱服刑数年，出狱后还须偿还每一分赃款。联邦调查局巴尔的摩外地办事处特别探员主管 Jimmy Paul 说，Lawrence 以为能愚弄联邦政府、诈骗美国纳税人，结果是每一美元赃款都将被没收，联邦监狱将是他未来数年的家。国税局刑事调查局（IRS-CI）费城外地办事处特别探员主管 Yury Kruty 表示，此次判决追究了 Lawrence 的责任。
此案由国税局刑事调查局与联邦调查局巴尔的摩外地办事处 Wilmington 常驻机构调查，联邦检察官 Wallace 与联邦助理检察官 Bryan C. Williamson 负责起诉。
Michigan Man Sentenced to 70 Months in PPP Fraud Scheme That Obtained About $9.1 Million
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Delaware announced that Carl Lawrence, 50, of Kentwood, Michigan, was sentenced on October 20 to 70 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Hall imposed the sentence in Wilmington, Delaware.
According to court documents, Lawrence ran a business-consulting firm. Over the internet he met Jady Solano, a Wilmington tax preparer, and the two conspired to defraud the PPP, a COVID-19 relief program designed to safeguard jobs during the pandemic. Lawrence referred his consulting clients to Solano, who prepared fraudulent applications on their behalf, and Lawrence also personally falsified documents for inclusion in the applications.
In total, Lawrence assisted with 29 fraudulent applications, resulting in more than $4.7 million in wrongful loan disbursements. He personally made nearly $450,000 through the scheme, all of which he has been ordered to forfeit. The total scheme led by Lawrence and Solano obtained approximately $9.1 million in pandemic relief funds. The court also ordered restitution of $4,736,088.37 and a forfeiture money judgment of $447,061.77, and Lawrence will serve three years of supervised release after prison.
Across two charging instruments, eight members of the scheme have been charged: Solano was sentenced to 80 months in prison and restitution of $9,181,830.99; Shatoya Moss to 18 months; Brigette Miller-Levy to 24 months; Marvin Edwards to 16 months; Amber Baldwin and Devlon Porter were convicted at trial and await sentencing; Anthony McKinzy has been indicted and remains at large. A defendant who has been indicted and not adjudicated guilty is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
'Stealing taxpayer money is always a serious crime,' said U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace. 'But it is particularly serious when that money was meant to keep hardworking Americans employed during a pandemic.' FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul said Lawrence thought he could dupe the federal government and swindle American taxpayers, and that every dollar he stole will be forfeited. IRS Criminal Investigation Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty said the sentencing holds Lawrence accountable.
Agents of IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI Baltimore Field Office's Wilmington Resident Agency investigated the case. U.S. Attorney Wallace and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan C. Williamson prosecuted the case.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：特拉华州 Wilmington 市景，该案联邦法院所在地（资料图）。Quintinsoloviev 摄，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons 取用 / Wilmington, Delaware, where the case was heard in federal court (file photo). Photo by Quintinsoloviev, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
