Eleven Charged in $2.2 Million COVID Relief Fraud Scheme in Florida, Federal Prosecutors Say
Federal prosecutors in Florida announced Friday that 11 people have been arrested and charged in connection with a scheme that allegedly stole $2.2 million from COVID-19 relief programs, money intended to help struggling small businesses survive the pandemic. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the defendants are accused of conspiring to defraud the Small Business Administration by submitting false applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds between April 2020 and June 2021.
“These are not victimless crimes,” said Jamila Davis, assistant special agent in charge of the SBA Office of Inspector General. “The ultimate victim in each and every case is the American taxpayer.”
Who Is Charged
Federal prosecutors identified the defendants as:
Sherell Breus, 40, Champions Gate
Jessie Perlado, 63, Lakeland
Candice Harper, 37, Pooler, Georgia
Yashica Carter, 40, Fort Lauderdale
Brandon Thomas, 39, Champions Gate
Antwaun Jonson, 39, Delray Beach
Jessica Sejour, 33, Greenacres
Tameshia Roberson, 44, Winter Haven
Vance Houston, 30, Oakland Park
Raymound Carvil Sr., 61, Fort Lauderdale
Each defendant has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and nine counts of wire fraud. If convicted, each count carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
How the Scheme Allegedly Worked
U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe said the defendants used inactive or minimally operating companies to submit fraudulent loan applications to the SBA, falsely claiming to provide services such as health care, transportation, or food services.
“None of it, or very little of it, was true,” Kehoe said. “If they were operating at all, it was very, very little, and some of these entities weren’t providing services at all.”
Prosecutors allege the false applications were used to siphon millions from programs created under the CARES Act, which Congress passed to help small businesses survive revenue losses caused by COVID-19 shutdowns.
“People like this subverted that attempt and took something that was designed for the good of the people and turned it into something that was only good for their own self-interest,” Kehoe said.
Separate Indictment Filed
In a separate but related case, federal prosecutors also charged Neil Bryant, 45, of Winter Haven, with wire fraud for allegedly submitting a fraudulent EIDL application. If convicted, Bryant faces up to 20 years in prison, and the federal government is seeking forfeiture of $52,400, according to prosecutors.
A Broader Federal Crackdown
Kehoe said the SBA has disbursed more than $1.2 trillion in COVID-related loans nationwide, but acknowledged that fraud remains widespread.
“Unfortunately, about $200 billion of that is potentially fraud,” Kehoe said. “We will continue to prosecute these matters as these cases unfold.”
Federal officials are urging the public to report suspected COVID-19 relief fraud to the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud.
