Four individuals from Florida have been sentenced to federal prison after being convicted in a U.S. District Court in Rhode Island for orchestrating a large-scale scheme to defraud CARES Act programs, including those in Rhode Island. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
The defendants were involved in fraudulent activities that resulted in more than $4.8 million being siphoned from federally funded programs. They admitted guilt to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, the schemes included using stolen personal information to submit false applications for unemployment benefits and pandemic-related loans under the CARES Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Additionally, they filed fraudulent applications with federal and state agencies for tax refunds, stimulus payments, disaster relief funds, and loans.
Judge Mellisa R. DuBose handed down sentences as follows:
- Tony Mertile, 33, of Miramar, FL: 72 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release.
- Junior Mertile, 35, of Pembroke Pines, FL: 54 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release.
- Allen Bien-Aime, 33, of Lehigh Acres, FL: 48 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.
- James Legerme, 33, of Sunrise, FL: 48 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.
The government has moved to forfeit $4.8 million related to the conspiracy proceeds and additional assets including Rolex watches and jewelry seized during arrests. Each defendant is jointly liable for over $4.4 million in restitution to affected agencies and financial institutions.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise M. Barton and Stacey A. Erickson along with Special Assistant United States Attorney John M. Moreira from the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.
An extensive investigation involved multiple agencies including the FBI Boston Division and other law enforcement units across different states who assisted during arrests in Florida.
Sara Miron Bloom expressed gratitude towards various divisions that supported the prosecution efforts against these fraudulent activities targeting pandemic relief funds.
Residents suspecting misuse of their identification are advised to contact local authorities through provided communication channels.
