![[Florida] Nurse's $420,000 COVID-19 relief fund embezzlement](http://gpa.net/cdn/shop/articles/bigstock-Money-And-Pills-Various-Medic-288974788_1200x.jpg?v=1610530108)
According to prosecutors, a Florida nurse fraudulently obtained and laundered $420,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, Fox News reports.
The criminal complaint shows that Giraldo Caraballo lied on his application to receive a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program on behalf of his company, Professional Skills Inc (PSI). In May 2019, when Mr Caraballo opened a bank account for the company he reported having two employees and annual gross sales of $70,000.
In his subsequent application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan in June, he reportedly claimed that the company had four employees and that its gross revenue between February 2019 and January 2020 was around $180,000.
Only six days later, Mr Caraballo applied for a Paycheck Protection Program and he now reported employing 28 people with an average monthly payroll of $168,000. Prosecutors say this is untrue.
Mr Caraballo allegedly stated that the $420,000 was to help maintain employees on the payroll. But the complaint alleges that the funds never actually made it to his employees. Prosecutors state that the company's bank account did not "reveal any paychecks to employees of PSI. Nor are there any payments to payroll service providers."
Prosecutors said that rather than using the money for payroll, Mr Caraballo used the income for personal expenses, including paying off his credit card bills and making payments on his mortgage, car lease and child care support, "among other transactions."
(With contributions from The Associated Press)
According to prosecutors, a Florida nurse fraudulently obtained and laundered $420,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, Fox News reports.
The criminal complaint shows that Giraldo Caraballo lied on his application to receive a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program on behalf of his company, Professional Skills Inc (PSI). In May 2019, when Mr Caraballo opened a bank account for the company he reported having two employees and annual gross sales of $70,000.
In his subsequent application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan in June, he reportedly claimed that the company had four employees and that its gross revenue between February 2019 and January 2020 was around $180,000.
Only six days later, Mr Caraballo applied for a Paycheck Protection Program and he now reported employing 28 people with an average monthly payroll of $168,000. Prosecutors say this is untrue.
Mr Caraballo allegedly stated that the $420,000 was to help maintain employees on the payroll. But the complaint alleges that the funds never actually made it to his employees. Prosecutors state that the company's bank account did not "reveal any paychecks to employees of PSI. Nor are there any payments to payroll service providers."
Prosecutors said that rather than using the money for payroll, Mr Caraballo used the income for personal expenses, including paying off his credit card bills and making payments on his mortgage, car lease and child care support, "among other transactions."
(With contributions from The Associated Press)
