Non-DOJ Individual Sentenced for Major Fraud Against the United States in Connection with COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

On October 17, 2022, a non-DOJ individual was sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release, as well as ordered to pay $1,072,062 in restitution, for one count of major fraud against the United States.  Chris Recamier was sentenced in the Southern District of New York.  According to the plea agreement, Recamier pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment, which states that from in or about August 2020 through in or about October 2021, Recamier engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) designed to provide relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, a scheme that included using stolen identities.  According to terms of the plea agreement filed with the court, Recamier’s actions involved a loss of more than $9,500,000; involved 10 or more victims; involved the production of a counterfeit access devices or authentication feature; involved the possession of 5 or more means of unlawfully produced or obtained identification; and resulted in Recamier deriving more than $1,000,000 in gross receipts from one or more financial institutions.  The investigation was conducted by the OIG’s Cyber Investigations Office on behalf of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, with operational assistance provided by the OIG’s New York Field Office.