In less than an hour, a Georgia man was found guilty of all charges brought against him for his role in a scheme to defraud the government of more than $1 million in pandemic-relief aid.
Bernard Okojie, 41, of McDonough, Ga., was found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money-laundering conspiracy, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced March 30. A federal jury reached the verdict in minutes after the conclusion of a three-day trial, according to the news release.
“This verdict should serve notice that the FBI and our federal partners will investigate anyone who misdirects federal emergency assistance earmarked for businesses who need it to stay afloat,” Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said in the release.
Beginning in April 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and continuing through May 2021, Okojie submitted at least 24 fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using false information from nonexistent companies, the release reports. Okojie either received the money directly or was compensated for submitting EIDL applications for other individuals who received the fradulently gained money, then laundered the illegal gains, the release reports.
“Before the ink was dry on legislation creating the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Bernard Okojie was scheming to steal these vital small business safety net funds," Jill Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, said in the news release. "The guilty verdict slams the door on this fraud, and signals to others stealing from pandemic relief funds that they, too, will be held accountable,”
The more than $1.4 million that Okojie and others made through the schemes was spent on a house, cars, vacations to Versace, personal investments "and a toy poodle," according to the release. Okojie was stopped with approximately $40,000 in unreported cash as he was attempting to board a flight from Atlanta to Nigeria, the release reports.
After U.S. Probation Services has finished its pre-sentence investigation, a sentencing hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood will be scheduled.
Okojie faces statutory penalties of up to 30 years in jail, up to $1 million in fines, and up to five years of supervised release following any prison term, according to the guilty decision. The federal prison system does not offer parole.
