The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon has filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to seize two properties in Provo, Utah, valued at nearly $4 million. The properties were allegedly purchased with funds obtained through a fraud scheme involving Benjamin Young, 39, of Provo.
According to the complaint, between July 2020 and May 2025, Young served as Financial Manager for a nonprofit organization. During this time, he is accused of embezzling funds from the organization’s accounts, including money from federally backed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans intended to support payroll and essential operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The complaint states that Young used these diverted funds to buy a $3.5 million commercial office suite in Provo under the name Square the Books, a company he controlled. He then leased this property back to the nonprofit.
To hide the source of the funds, Young allegedly created a fictitious $2.5 million short-term loan and used it as collateral to obtain a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan under false pretenses. Although he certified that SBA loan proceeds would be used to repay the short-term loan, authorities allege that PPP funds and other diverted resources were actually used for the property purchase. The complaint further alleges that Young laundered proceeds from the SBA loan by transferring them into his personal bank accounts and later using some of those funds to buy a $570,000 condominium in Provo.
The United States is now seeking forfeiture of both properties based on these allegations.
The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General are investigating this case. Christopher Cardani, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, is handling the civil forfeiture action.
“The accusations in the complaint, and the description of the complaint, constitute only allegations that certain property is subject to forfeiture. The United States must prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the property is subject to forfeiture,” according to information released by federal authorities.
