A Tampa resident has admitted to gross misuse of COVID-19 relief funds, which were intended to support businesses grappling with the economic distress brought on by the pandemic. Denys Perez, age 31, has entered a guilty plea to charges of wire fraud, confirming the allegations of his wrongful expenditures totaling over $300,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced that Perez had applied for funds via the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Despite his certification that these funds would address the pandemic’s financial impact on his business, Perez instead channeled more than $300,000 into personal use, including a house purchase. According to a statement by the United States Attorney’s Office, the fraudulent activities occurred between September 2021 and January 2022, and now, Perez faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Engaging in efforts to address and prevent fraudulent activities related to the pandemic, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force in May 2021. This initiative represents a powerful alliance within the Department of Justice, uniting with other government agencies to enhance the capabilities of investigating, prosecuting, and ultimately thwarting pandemic-related fraud…