Slidell Clinic Operator Ordered to Pay Back Over $1.2M in COVID-19 Relief Fraud Case; Mississippi Man Sentenced for COVID Loan Fraud, and Other C-Virus Related Stories
Slidell clinic operator ordered to pay back over $1.2M in COVID-19 relief fraud case:
A Slidell woman, who pled guilty to theft of public money in connection with the misappropriation of COVID-19 relief funds, has been sentenced.
On April 10, Melissa Watson pled guilty to submitting false and fraudulent statements for the primary care clinic she operated to obtain Provider Relief Funds.
The funds stem from a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Watson originally promised the funds would be used by the clinic for the prevention, preparation and response to the coronavirus and reimbursement of healthcare-related funds.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, in total, Watson misappropriated over $780,000. The money reportedly was used for personal purposes and cash withdrawals where she purchased hundreds of thousands in real estate, a luxury vehicle, a boat, a trailer and a timeshare. —>READ MORE HERE
Mississippi man sentenced for COVID loan fraud:
A Caledonia man was sentenced on Monday, July 29 for receiving $800,000 in fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Herman Nash, 63, was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release and $738,000 in restitution. As a part of the investigation, the IRS seized two vehicles from Nash worth over $60,000.
According to court documents, Nash applied for three separate loans and received a total of $800,000. Prosecutors said Nash claimed the loans for a business that did not exist. Nash’s loan applications claimed that his business generated $455,000 in gross revenue and $90,000 in cost of goods sold when, in reality, Nash did not have a business at all.
“This defendant stole money that was intended to help legitimate businesses survive during the COVID pandemic, and now he is paying the price for that conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We hope that this sentence will provide notice to all of those who defrauded their fellow taxpayers in similar fashion that they will be held to account for their actions.” —>READ MORE HERE
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