United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy | U.S. Department of Justice
A Massachusetts businessman has been sentenced for the misuse of COVID-19 relief funds intended for business support. Jesse Lelievre, 42, from North Andover, received a sentence of two years of supervised release, with the first five months under home detention. Additionally, he was ordered to pay $179,090 in restitution after pleading guilty to theft of government property in September 2024.
Lelievre owned and managed Paramount Plumbing & Heating LLC, a company providing plumbing and heating services. In 2021, he applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which was meant to assist small businesses impacted by the pandemic. Lelievre agreed to use the loan solely as working capital but instead redirected approximately $179,000 for personal expenses such as purchasing a diamond ring and remodeling his home.
The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and Kriss Basil from the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit.
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force was established on May 17, 2021, by the Attorney General to enhance efforts against pandemic-related fraud. This task force collaborates with various agencies to investigate and prosecute significant fraud cases while assisting agencies responsible for administering relief programs.
For those with information about potential COVID-19 related fraud attempts, reports can be made via the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or through their web complaint form.
