PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) — A Vancouver real estate developer has been sentenced to federal prison for securing and laundering COVID-19 relief funds meant for small businesses.
On Friday, 62-year-old Michael DeFrees was sentenced to 21 months in prison and an additional five years of supervised release for using false pretenses when applying for the Small Business Administration’s pandemic recovery programs.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon said he submitted multiple applications for the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans between April 2020 and April 2022. DeFrees additionally submitted loan applications to two Washington Banks.
According to the Attorney’s Office, the man claimed to be the sole owner of the construction company Gateway National Corporation and real estate development company Yacht Harbor . He also claimed that he hadn’t been convicted of a crime or placed on parole or probation.