Miguel Vittorio, Yessenia Casillas, and Luis Vasquez, residents of the Nampa area, have pleaded guilty to bank fraud charges related to defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott. The PPP was a relief initiative by the Small Business Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic, aimed at providing forgivable loans to support small businesses.
Court records reveal that Vittorio submitted two PPP loan applications in March 2021 with false information about employee numbers and payroll amounts. He also provided fraudulent documentation to support these claims, resulting in $126,800 being obtained through these loans. Vittorio also filed a similar fraudulent application for another individual. Vittorio has pleaded guilty to bank fraud and awaits sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill on June 16, 2025. He faces a potential sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release.
Casillas admitted to filing two fraudulent PPP loan applications in February 2021 for two businesses. She included false employee and payroll information, along with fake documentation, securing approximately $74,500 in loan proceeds. Casillas pleaded guilty in January, and her sentencing by Judge Winmill is scheduled for April 29, 2025. Her charges carry similar penalties to Vittorio's.
Vasquez, in April 2021, engaged in a fraud scheme to obtain a PPP loan. He submitted an application with false business information and supporting documents, including fake tax documents and payroll reports, receiving around $51,614. Vasquez pleaded guilty in January, with sentencing by U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford set for April 16, 2025. His charge also carries a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott acknowledged the efforts of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, for their investigations leading to these charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell prosecuted the cases.
