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A U.S. District judge has sentenced a Kissimmee man to fraud related to federal COVID-19 recovery funds.
A U.S. District judge has sentenced Levelle Joseph Harris, 36, of Kissimmee to 27 months in federal prison for wire fraud. The court also ordered the forfeiture of $1,283,029.81, the proceeds Harris obtained from wire fraud offenses. Harris plead guilty on Sept.21, 2022.
According to court records, between May 27, 2020, and June 2, 2021, Harris applied for 14 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act using false information. As part of Harris’s scheme, he electronically submitted applications for the PPP loans over the internet, made false representations on his PPP applications, and received proceeds from the loans through wire transfers. Harris also provided fake supporting documentation for his loan applications. Harris received over $1 million supposed to be used to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills. Instead, Harris used the money to buy a new car and investment properties.
The case was prosecuted as part the Department of Justice’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the CARES Act relief programs. The CARES Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
