A Fort Lauderdale resident has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a complex scheme that defrauded federal COVID relief and unemployment programs of more than $1 million. Conrad Brandon Bernard, 24, admitted to bank fraud and identity theft in a case that highlights the vulnerabilities of government assistance programs during the pandemic. Bernard’s guilty plea, announced on Nov. 15 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, could result in a prison sentence exceeding 30 years.