Hayden O’Byrne United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida | The Florida Bar
Angelo Stephen, a former correctional officer, and George Arestuche, a former aviation department employee, have been sentenced for defrauding COVID-19 relief programs. Both cases were handled in Miami courts.
Stephen received a four-month prison sentence followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $75,513 in restitution and faced an additional forfeiture money judgment of $71,166. This sentencing comes after his conviction for wire fraud related to fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), along with involvement in bank account takeover schemes.
During his plea hearing, Stephen confessed to submitting false EIDL and PPP loan applications. He falsely claimed to own a business with significant revenue but no actual operations or employees. As a result of these actions, he obtained over $61,000 from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Additionally, Stephen participated in bank account takeovers that resulted in illegal financial gains.
In a separate case, Arestuche was sentenced to five years of probation with 210 days of home detention. He must also pay $114,679 in restitution and perform community service. His conviction stemmed from conspiracy to commit wire fraud through fraudulent EIDL applications.
Arestuche's scheme involved submitting false information about owning an automotive repair business. This led him to receive substantial funds from the SBA under false pretenses. Since pleading guilty, Arestuche has made partial restitution payments.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced these sentences alongside various law enforcement agencies involved in investigating the cases. The Department of Justice continues its efforts against pandemic-related fraud through established task forces dedicated to this purpose.
For further information on ongoing investigations or reporting suspected COVID-19 fraud, resources are available through the Department of Justice’s channels.
