This year, guilty pleas and convictions involving COVID relief fund fraud are rolling in from unexpected culprits – Florida’s law enforcement. No profession is immune from greed and these officers crossed the line and broke trust.
The allure of trillions of dollars tested the integrity of many – and temptation prevailed too often.
“It is an unprecedented amount of fraud.” Mike Galdo, U.S. Justice Department acting director COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement
February 13, 2024:
Former Miami Police Department (MPD) Public Service Aide Kendra Carter, 35, pled guilty to wire fraud connected to her fraudulent application seeking a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.
During her full-time employment at MPD, Carter admitted to submitting a fraudulent PPP loan application. She falsely claimed that in 2019 she was the sole proprietor of a “hair-braiding” business with a gross income of more than $1 million.
Carter’s application included a fraudulent IRS Form 1040, Schedule C, for the 2019 tax year, falsely reflecting her business had a gross income of $1,100,000. Carter obtained a $20,833 PPP loan from an SBA-approved PPP lender as a result of the fraudulent application.