Business owner accused of lying to obtain pandemic loan

A former Massachusetts resident has been charged by prosecutors with fraudulently obtaining $2.5 million in federal relief cash supposed for corporations struggling through the coronavirus pandemic and working with the income to acquire cars and spend in cryptocurrency.

Vinicius Santana, 34, who employed to are living in Saugus and now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, was arrested before this 7 days in Florida and will surface in federal in court docket in Massachusetts at a long run day to facial area a charge of wire fraud, in accordance to a assertion Wednesday from the U.S. attorney’s place of work in Boston.

No defense legal professional was outlined in courtroom records.

Santana submitted 4 distinctive Paycheck Defense System mortgage applications on behalf of his portray firm in April 2020, prosecutors claimed.

Three, in which he said he experienced just a handful of employees and an typical month to month payroll of no extra than $18,000, had been denied. In the fourth, Santana mentioned he had 154 employees and an average month to month payroll of $1 million. All those figures ended up fake, prosecutors claimed, but nonetheless, the software was accepted and he acquired a $2.5 million financial loan.

Santana utilised the income to get a dwelling, pay out off automobile loans and acquire automobiles, and to commit in cryptocurrency, prosecutors explained.

The Paycheck Safety Application supplied forgivable financial loans to tiny businesses struggling through the pandemic to be employed for work retention and particular other authorised bills.

If convicted, Santana faces up to 20 many years in jail.