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A Nevada-based physician and his workplace supervisor spouse are going through fees for an alleged fraudulent scheme involving roughly $1.3 million in COVID-19 pandemic aid loans. The loans had been procured by way of the Financial Harm Catastrophe Mortgage (EIDL) program and the Paycheck Safety Program (PPP), as unveiled by the indictment unsealed yesterday.
Kofi Sarfo, 58, a medical physician and proprietor and president of Vista Medical Associates, a Las Vegas medical follow, and his spouse, Rose Sarfo, 54, the workplace supervisor and treasurer of the follow, are implicated within the case. The couple allegedly conspired to submit false mortgage functions to acquire EIDL and PPP pandemic aid funds. Nevertheless, as a substitute of using the funds for his or her enterprise, as per their mortgage utility statements, the Sarfos are accused of utilizing the funds to spend money on shares and cryptocurrency.
The fees embrace one rely of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 4 counts of wire fraud in opposition to each people. Moreover, Kofi Sarfo faces a separate cost of cash laundering. If convicted, they may face a most penalty of 20 years in jail for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and for every rely of wire fraud. Furthermore, Kofi Sarfo might face a further penalty of 10 years in jail for the cash laundering cost.
Small companies across the nation, notably within the healthcare sector, ought to pay attention to this incident as a cautionary story. It highlights the necessity for full transparency when making use of for presidency aid funds and the results of fraudulent exercise.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Las Vegas Subject Workplace, with Trial Lawyer Kyle Crawford of the Legal Division’s Fraud Part main the prosecution.
The Division of Justice established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Activity Drive in Could 2021 to consolidate the sources of varied businesses and enhance efforts to analyze and stop pandemic-related fraud. The duty pressure is designed to determine, prosecute, and thwart essentially the most egregious home and worldwide felony actors and help businesses tasked with administering aid packages. The target is to forestall fraud by integrating present coordination mechanisms, figuring out sources and strategies to disclose fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.
For extra data on the division’s response to the pandemic and associated fraud, go to www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Small enterprise homeowners are inspired to remain knowledgeable about potential fraud schemes associated to pandemic aid funds.
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