Man gets citizenship revoked for orchestrating massive Covid-19 fraud scheme

WASHINGTON (TNND) — A man’s citizenship was revoked by a federal court after he orchestrated a massive COVID-19 fraud scheme.

“A federal court revoked the U.S. citizenship of a man who orchestrated a massive $3.8 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme, ruling he obtained naturalization through lies while actively committing fraud,” Reding Quinones, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Southern Florida, wrote on X.

He said that the defendant submitted numerous loan applications that were fake.

“The defendant submitted numerous fraudulent loan applications using false information and diverted taxpayer funds meant for struggling businesses,” Quinones said. “When you lie, cheat, and exploit programs meant to help others, accountability doesn’t stop at sentencing. It follows you.”

He also posted a statement about U.S. citizenship being a privilege.

“This defendant built his path to citizenship on false statements while stealing millions from programs meant to keep small businesses alive during the pandemic,” he said.

Last month it was reported that the Small Business Administration suspended over 111,000 California borrowers due to suspected fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fraud amounts up to $8.6 billion in sketchy loans from the COVID-19 pandemic.