A NASA employee recently confessed to misusing COVID relief funds intended for small businesses by diverting them towards an illicit cannabis operation. What Happened: Armen Hovanesian, 32, made three fraudulent loan applications under the guise of business entities that he controlled.
A NASA employee has agreed to plead guilty to defrauding the federal government by using more than $150,000 in COVID-19 relief money to fund an illegal marijuana grow operation.
According to the plea agreement, Hovanesian submitted three loan applications between June 2020 and October 2020 and received $151,900 in relief funds.