A Naples man has changed his plea to guilty in a $2.6 million COVID-19 relief fraud case.
His case is among several updated Monday by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
The cases filed in Southwest Florida were brought as part of investigations by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, which joined together in March 2020 to form the Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force. It will identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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Daniel Joseph Tisone, 35, of Naples was indicted April 20 on charges of wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
In U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, in Fort Myers on Monday, Tisone changed his plea to guilty. A change of plea hearing is scheduled July 29.
Tisone, a convicted felon, was charged with fraudulent activities involving federal COVID-19 relief programs including the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, Paycheck Protection Program, and the Main Street Lending Program and faces up to 50 years in prison on all charges.
Court documents said Tisone unlawfully used the funds to purchase more than $1 million in stocks and investment securities, as well as a residence in Naples.
The status of other SWFL fraud cases:
Sentenced
The only sentenced case so far is that of Fort Myers roofer Casey David Crowther.
Crowther, 36, of North Fort Myers and president of Target Roofing, was accused of falsely acquiring $2.7 million in COVID-19 relief funds via bank fraud, making false statements to a financial institution, and illegal monetary transactions through the Paycheck Protection Program.
He was arrested and charged Sept. 2, 2020, and sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison in June 2021.
Crowther, serving his sentence at the minimum security Federal Prison Camp Montgomery at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, is appealing the conviction.
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Adjudicated
Amber Rewis Bruey, 35, and Anthony James Bruey, 36, were living in Lehigh Aces when they were indicted for an $881,000 COVID-19 relief fraud via the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans program.
A federal indictment filed Aug. 25 charged them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and illegal monetary transactions.
The Brueys have entered guilty pleas and are scheduled for sentencing Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle C Dudek in U.S. District Court in Fort Myers. The couple could face up to 80 years in prison.
Guilty pleas:Former Lehigh Acres resident joins husband in pleading guilty on COVID-19 relief fraud case
Edrica Leann Watson, 40, of Lehigh Acres, was indicted in December on a two-count federal indictment. The first count of the indictment, bank fraud, was dismissed. She pleaded guilty in March.
The federal indictment charged Watson with falsely applying for a PPP loan and accepting funds from that application of $392,563.
The indictment said Watson registered a home health care business called Unity Health Care in Fort Myers with the Florida Division of Corporations.
She listed herself as manager and registered agent in September 2020. She then opened a bank account in the business’ name to deposit the funds.
Sentencing for Watson is Aug. 1 in U.S. District Court in Fort Myers before Judge Sheri Polster Chappell. She faces up to 30 years in prison.
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Liliana Molina Gonzalez, 35, of Cape Coral, was charged with wire fraud worth $169,000 via the Paycheck Protection Program.
Gonzalez owned Lilygstyles, a hair salon she operated out of her home in Cape Coral. Court documents said Gonzalez reinstated her business in March 2021 for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan
She is scheduled for sentencing July 22 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle C Dudek in U.S. District Court in Fort Myers.
“Throughout the pandemic, my office and our law-enforcement partners have used all available methods to combat fraud related to COVID-19, and we will continue to do so,” stated U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “After the United States instituted multiple programs to financially assist those most harmed by the pandemic, criminals sought to defraud those programs for personal enrichment at the expense of the taxpayers who funded these programs. We will continue to disrupt these fraud schemes, prosecute those who commit crimes, and return ill-gotten gains through our efforts.”
Since its inception, the Task Force has prosecuted 34 defendants, six of them in Southwest Florida, for fraud schemes designed to exploit federal programs created or expanded to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
The defendants collectively sought to defraud the United States of over $51 million. Twenty-five of those defendants have already been found guilty.
In addition to the work of the Criminal Division, the District’s Asset Recovery Division and federal seizing agencies have completed the forfeiture of more than $14 million of PPP, EIDL, and UI funds that were fraudulently obtained. The District’s Civil Division has similarly combatted fraud related to COVID-19 through its enforcement efforts.
To report suspected fraud, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) at (866) 720-5721 or file an online complaint at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Complaints filed will be reviewedand referred to federal, state, local, or international law enforcement or regulatory agencies for investigation.
Connect with breaking news reporter Michael Braun: MichaelBraunNP (Facebook), @MichaelBraunNP (Twitter) or mbraun@news-press.com.
