Ohio man sentenced to 11 years for $1.2M pandemic relief fraud

A man from Ravenna, Ohio, has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme that defrauded the U.S. government of more than $1.2 million in pandemic relief funds. Mustafa Ayoub Diab, 42, received his sentence from U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. after being convicted by a jury in March on multiple charges including theft of government funds, bank fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud as well as money laundering.

Diab was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment and must pay $1,213,860 in restitution. The sentencing took place on December 1.

According to court documents, Diab operated a tax return preparation business in Akron with co-conspirator Elizabeth Lorraine Robinson, 34. Between June 2020 and August 2021, Diab submitted fraudulent applications for pandemic unemployment benefits and small business assistance on behalf of many clients without their knowledge. He falsely claimed that these clients were employed or owned small businesses to qualify them for programs such as the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program and the Paycheck Protection Program.

When relief funds were deposited into accounts he opened and controlled—again without his clients’ knowledge—Diab quickly withdrew the money for personal use. Prosecutors said he used the proceeds to purchase real estate, vehicles, and fund international travel. Evidence at trial included fraudulent applications using nearly 80 victims' names.

Co-defendant Robinson pleaded guilty previously and was sentenced to nine months in prison along with three years of supervised release; she was also ordered to pay $183,450 in restitution jointly with Diab.

The FBI Akron Field Office conducted the investigation leading up to the indictment. Assistant United States Attorneys Vanessa V. Healy and Brenna L. Fasko prosecuted the case.