Miami, FL – Two South Florida residents received prison sentences this month for exploiting pandemic relief programs meant to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.
The cases highlight the ongoing efforts by authorities to crack down on fraudulent misuse of these important programs.
Maritza Morales Hermoso, 58, of Miami, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison on February 5th for money laundering nearly $2 million obtained through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs.
Prosecutors revealed that Hermoso submitted false loan applications for several companies she controlled, utilizing fabricated documents and inflated employee numbers to deceive the system.
Despite these companies having no active payroll or business activity, Hermoso secured close to $2 million in relief funds.
This ill-gotten wealth funded a lavish lifestyle for Hermoso, including gambling sprees at South Florida casinos, cosmetic surgery, a luxury car purchase, and even a Pomeranian puppy.