Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results achieved to date by the Middle District of Florida’s efforts to combat fraud
TAMPA, FL Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Julio Lugo and Rosenide Venant, both of Davenport, with conspiracy and making false statements to a financial institution. Lugo has also been charged with an illegal monetary transaction relating to the illegal use of coronavirus relief funds to pay off a note on a luxury car purchased during the conspiracy. If convicted, Lugo faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in federal prison; Venant faces up to 35 years imprisonment.
According to the complaint, beginning in or about March 2020, Lugo and Venant conspired to defraud the Small Business Administration ( SBA ) out of millions of dollars in coronavirus relief funds. Lugo and Venant used their home IP-address to submit at least 70 false and fraudulent loan applications seeking funds from the Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan ( EIDL ) program. The fraudulent loan applications requested more
Florida couple charged in $5.8 million COVID relief fraud
April 6, 2021
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DAVENPORT, Fla. (AP) A Florida couple accused of COVID relief fraud filed dozens of false loan applications that totaled nearly $6 million, prosecutors said.
Julio Lugo, 44, and Rosenide Venant, 37, used some of the $5.8 million to pay off a luxury vehicle, and spent over $62,000 at casinos, according to the U.S. Attorney s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Lugo also posted a Facebook video showing “a hotel room littered with $100 bills and at least $5,000 in merchandise from Louis Vuitton,” officials said in a news release on Friday. The money was obtained illegally from the Small Business Administration.
Florida couple charged with $5.8-million COVID relief fraud
By FOX 13 News Staff
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Images via DOJ
DAVENPORT, Fla. - A Polk County couple is accused of fraudulently collecting $5.8 million in COVID-19 relief money and using it to buy a luxury car, Louis Vuitton merchandise, and more, then flaunting it on Facebook.
According to prosecutors, Julio Lugo and Rosenide Venant, both of Davenport, submitted at least 70 false and fraudulent loan applications starting last spring to the Small Business Administration, including for shell companies established by Lugo, Venant, and their relatives.
They also secured coronavirus relief funds for a defunct tax-preparation company that Lugo had previously used for a 2015 fraud scheme, officials said.
Central Florida couple could get decades in prison for COVID relief fraud, prosecutors say orlandosentinel.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from orlandosentinel.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.