Former Jackson Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Submitting False Covid-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Application

Jackson, Mississippi – A Jackson man pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with his submission of a false COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application.

According to court documents, Wesley Murray, Sr., 54, submitted to the United States Small Business Association ("SBA") a false EIDL application containing material misrepresentations. In reliance on his certification that he would use the EIDL funds for business purposes, the SBA awarded Murray approximately $72,400 in COVID-19 relief funds. Murray acknowledged that he used these funds for purely personal expenses. 

Murray is scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Action Inspector General Stephen Ravas of the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the AmeriCorps Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie. 

Comptroller of a Non-Profit Corporation in Aguada, PR Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Fraud Scheme

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Margarita Botti-Nieves was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Francisco A. Besosa to serve 24 months in prison followed by a supervised release term of three years, announced United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. On October 11, 2022, Botti-Nieves was indicted and pleaded guilty to misappropriation of funds, tax evasion, and obstruction of a tax investigation.

Defendant Margarita Botti-Nieves was an employee, accountant, and agent of Programa de Apoyo y Enlace Comunitario, Inc. (“PAEC”). PAEC was a non-profit corporation organized in Puerto Rico which received and administered benefits under various Federal programs involving grants, contracts, and Federal assistance. According to court documents, from in or about September 2016 and continuing until June 2019, the defendant did willfully evade the payment of a substantial portion of the employment taxes owed by PAEC to the United States of America, by committing the following affirmative acts among others: 1) Caused submission of false statements to the IRS. 2) Provided false information and fraudulent documentation to PAEC for purported payments to the IRS which were never made. 3) Caused the preparation of false tax documents that misreported PAEC employees’ tax withholdings. 4) Caused funds to be transferred from PAEC bank account to different accounts defendant controlled in order to divert funds to be used for personal expenses. 5) Caused the tax returns to be filed with the IRS in an attempt to evade and defeat the payment of employment taxes due and owing by PAEC to the United States.