{"metadata":{"responseInfo":{"status":200},"resultset":{"count":"1","pagesize":20,"page":0},"executionTime":0.0037088394165039062},"results":[{"attachment":"","body":"KANSAS CITY, Mo. \u2013 The U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Western District of Missouri has filed charges, secured pleas and sentences, and obtained civil judgments against 15 defendants, involving more than $60 million in actual or intended losses, with restitution nearing $800,000, as part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department\u2019s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), targeting fraud in the SBA\u2019s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).\u0026nbsp;The Western District of Missouri was a key participant in this surge effort.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;From June 12 to September 1, 2026, SBA-OIG and federal prosecutors\u0026nbsp;in the Fraud Division and across over 40 U.S. Attorney\u2019s Offices, with assistance from various partners, obtained felony charges against nearly 80 fraud defendants responsible for approximately $100 million dollars in intended loss to the United States. These charges target a range of individuals who allegedly exploited COVID-era SBA loan programs at the height of the pandemic.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Beyond newly charged defendants, as part of Operation No Doze, approximately 43 defendants pleaded guilty to SBA-related COVID fraud, reaching approximately $44 million in intended loss.\u0026nbsp; And approximately 40 defendants were sentenced for SBA-related COVID fraud, reaching nearly $100 million in intended loss. Together, this targeted surge resulted in fraud enforcement actions spanning over 160 criminal defendants and involved approximately $245 million dollars in intended loss to American taxpayers.Operation No Doze is a direct result of President Donald J. Trump\u2019s creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division at the DOJ, the first new division in the DOJ in twenty years.\u201cFor the past two and a half months, we have been engaged in an all-out effort to combat fraudsters and scammers who steal from hardworking American taxpayers. These fraudsters harm individuals, families, businesses, and communities that rely on these programs,\u201d said R. Matthew Price, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. \u201cToday\u2019s announcement exemplifies what it means to stand united on the front lines of this fight. Working alongside our partners as one team, we will bring criminals to justice and return funds to the hands of the people who need and deserve them.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u201cPandemic loan relief was meant to keep American small businesses alive during government lockdowns\u2014not line the pockets of fraudsters,\u201d said Attorney General Todd Blanche. \u201cThe defendants charged during our summer surge allegedly fabricated businesses, submitted false payroll and revenue claims, stole identities, and concealed foreign ties on their applications\u2014 but they will now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.\u201d\u201cThis summer surge shows what is possible when dedicated public servants across the country work together with a single purpose,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. \u201cOur mission is clear: protect taxpayer funds, safeguard the integrity of federal relief programs, and deliver justice to those who exploited them. We will remain steadfast every day\u2014standing shoulder\u2011to\u2011shoulder with our partners\u2014to identify fraud, pursue those responsible, and restore confidence in the programs meant to help American small businesses thrive.\u201d\u201cToday\u2019s announcement represents the largest-ever action against perpetrators of SBA fraud, with 870,000 suspended borrowers tied to $39 billion in suspected fraudulent PPP and COVID EIDL activity. In partnership with Vice President Vance and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud,\u0026nbsp; we\u2019re putting fraudsters on notice: the federal government will no longer turn a blind eye to those who stole from taxpayers and exploited programs designed to sustain small businesses during the pandemic,\u201d said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. \u201cWith demand letters going out to suspected fraudsters, we\u2019re also sending a clear message that they must repay their debts or face Treasury collections and possible federal law enforcement. Under this Administration, the free ride is over. We are restoring accountability, recovering taxpayer dollars, and protecting SBA programs for the legitimate small businesses they were created to serve.\u201d\u201cOperation No Doze brings a focused and coordinated approach to pursuing fraud in SBA\u2019s pandemic relief programs,\u201d said SBA Inspector General William Kirk. \u201cBy concentrating our investigative resources and working closely with SBA and our law enforcement partners, we are strengthening our ability to identify fraud, recover taxpayer funds, and hold accountable those who exploited programs created to help small businesses in a time of extraordinary need. This initiative makes clear that the passage of time does not diminish our commitment to accountability.\u201d\u201cWe are proud to stand with our federal and state partners in rooting out criminal activity of all kinds, especially defrauding the public,\u201d said Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe. \u201cFraud is not a victimless crime. Every dollar stolen is a dollar taken from hardworking taxpayers or from someone who depends on the programs those dollars are meant to support. In Missouri, we will continue working at every level to hold fraudsters accountable and protect those they seek to exploit.\u201dThe following cases in the Western District of Missouri involved defendants who targeted government programs, attempting to divert funds intended to help Americans in need:Jaylen Bates, of Cass County Missouri. According to court records, while charged with felony distribution of a controlled substance, Bates fraudulently obtained $41,666 in SBA-PPP money, claiming to operate two businesses that did not exist.\u0026nbsp;Jeffrey Christopher Benton, of Taney County, Missouri. Benton fraudulently obtained $125,308 in SBA-PPP money, according to court records. He claimed the money for a business that did not exist and spent funds on personal expenses.\u0026nbsp;DeZhon Byrd, of Jackson County, Missouri. Byrd is alleged to have fraudulently obtained $20,832 in SBA-PPP money and claimed the funds for a business that did not exist. He spent the money on personal expenses.\u0026nbsp;Brandon A. Garrett, of Jackson County, Missouri. Garrett fraudulently obtained $48,000 in SBA-PPP money, claiming the money was for two businesses that did not exist, court records show.\u0026nbsp;D\u2019Mario Gray, of Jackson County, Missouri. Gray allegedly set up a \u201cfoundation\u201d in his name, with the sole purpose of obtaining $48,750 in SBA-PPP money by fraudulently claiming his foundation had been adversely impacted by COVID-19. The money went to personal expenses, including trips to Miami and Houston.\u0026nbsp;Jamie William Gray, of Dade County, Missouri. Gray allegedly claimed to operate 19 separate businesses, including businesses focused on the pet industry. In total, Gray sought to fraudulently obtain $55,931.875.00 in SBA-PPP funds by filing 29 PPP and EIDL loans on the 19 businesses claiming that they were in operation prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In every instance but one, none of the businesses claimed to be owned by Mr. Gray were in operation or existed. Gray effectively stole this company\u2019s identity. Gray received $820,000 in SBA-PPP money because of the fraudulent activity.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Matthew and Shasta Head of Texas County, Missouri allegedly claimed to run an outdoor service company, and grossly overinflated the number of employees they had. The Heads received $2,462.871 in fraudulent SBA-PPP funds.\u0026nbsp;Dylan Gregory Neely, of Jasper County, Missouri created two businesses which paid no taxes, according to court documents. Neely listed employees who never worked for him, and the social security numbers that he listed were not associated with the people he listed as employees. Neely fraudulently obtained $399,308.93 in SBA-PPP funds.\u0026nbsp;Sydney R. Washington, of Jackson County, Missouri fraudulently obtained $13,538 in PPP money, and the loan was later forgiven by the SBA, according to court documents.\u0026nbsp;Justin Williams, of Jackson County, Missouri, is alleged to have fraudulently obtained $20,832 in SBA PPP money.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Gregory Burns, of Jackson County, Missouri, allegedly admitted to working with two other people to fraudulently obtain $487,600 in SBA-PPP loans.\u0026nbsp; Burns used his portion of the money to pay for personal expenses.\u0026nbsp;Waylen Leslie, of Buchanan County, Missouri, admitted to fraudulently obtaining $471,100 in SBA-PPP loans.\u0026nbsp; Leslie allegedly used the money to purchase crypto currency and other personal items.\u0026nbsp;Aviance Shepard, of Jackon County, Missouri and Shawneasha Watson, of Jackson County, Missouri\u0026nbsp;were sentenced and ordered to pay more than $20,000 each in restitution\u0026nbsp;for fraudulent SBA-PPP loans.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;A settlement was reached with William Patrick Vogt and By the Blade, LLC. The defendants agreed to pay the sum of nearly $750,000 for fraudulently obtaining an SBA-PPP loan. Vogt applied for and received the PPP Loan and later applied for and received full forgiveness of the PPP Loan despite knowing that he was ineligible for the loan because he had previously pleaded guilty to a federal offense of felony tax fraud in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.\u0026nbsp;Operation Show-Me the MoneyTo expand the state of Missouri\u2019s collective ability to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud, the Western District of Missouri, alongside Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, and State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick, announced the launch of Operation Show-Me the Money. This unprecedented collaborative effort between the State of Missouri and the Department of Justice will focus on protecting taxpayer dollars by prosecuting individuals and entities that defraud state benefit programs.The focus of the initiative will be on state programs that distribute the\u0026nbsp;$11.5 billion in federal funds Missouri receives\u0026nbsp;to individuals and entities entitled under the law. The goal of Operation Show-Me the Money is to ensure taxpayer dollars reach the people and programs they were intended to support, while staying out of the hands of fraudsters.\u0026nbsp;National Fraud Enforcement DivisionOn April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (\u201cFraud Division\u201d). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department\u2019s work to combat fraud supports President Trump\u2019s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to\u202feliminate\u202ffraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u202f\u0026nbsp;An indictment, information, or complaint\u202fis merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.\u202f\u0026nbsp;","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-14T17:25:13-04:00\u0022\u003E1789421113\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"ad71fc95-287d-47f8-b7bc-bdb68e73159c","name":"USAO - Missouri, Western"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-14T17:22:52-04:00\u0022\u003E1789420972\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1789387200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EThe U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Western District of Missouri has filed charges, secured pleas and sentences, and obtained civil judgments against 15 defendants, involving more than $60 million in actual or intended losses, with restitution nearing $800,000, as part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department\u2019s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), targeting fraud in the SBA\u2019s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).\u0026nbsp;The Western District of Missouri was a key participant in this surge effort.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"The U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Western District of Missouri Joins DOJ\u2019s Fraud Division, SBA and SBA OIG in COVID-Era Loan Takedown Targeting $245 Million in COVID Loan Fraud Nationwide  ","topic":[{"uuid":"32b4d47b-2142-420c-9aae-28f7bf2c86d4","name":"Fraud"},{"uuid":"49a56700-51fc-458e-8f05-a423079c287b","name":"Benefit Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wdmo\/pr\/us-attorneys-office-western-district-missouri-joins-dojs-fraud-division-sba-and-sba","uuid":"5b5d733f-546c-44c0-bb2b-fdbb89d27373"}]}