Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan | Department of Justice
Eight people have been sentenced for their roles in a $7.7 million fraud scheme that targeted the Small Business Administration (SBA) and multiple state unemployment programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an announcement from United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
The final defendant, Timothy Boyle of Los Angeles, California, received his sentence today. The case involved fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment assistance and relief loans between early 2020 and May 2021. All eight defendants pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft charges before Judge Judith E. Levy.
DeAngelo Jackson-Portwood of Detroit was identified as the leader of the operation and received a sentence of 61 months in prison. Other sentences included Anton Greenwood (42 months), Adartha Tillman (40 months), Maurice Brown-Portwood (22 months), Taurean Davis (12 months), Christopher Lindsay (three years probation), Tyrone Boyle (three years probation), and Timothy Boyle (three years probation).
The group is required to pay $7,703,549 in restitution to the SBA and various state workforce agencies.
According to court records, Jackson-Portwood led efforts to obtain personal information from unsuspecting individuals without their consent. Using this data, he and his co-conspirators filed over 1,000 false unemployment claims across 17 states and Guam, resulting in more than $5.6 million in losses—most notably impacting Michigan and California workforce agencies.
Additionally, the group submitted over 575 fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans through the SBA. These applications often included fabricated business details or used stolen identities of real people as supposed business owners. This aspect of the scheme resulted in approximately $2.1 million being disbursed.
United States Attorney Gorgon stated: “Today’s sentence concludes one of the largest pandemic fraud cases in our state. Jackson-Portwood fleeced the American taxpayer through a brazen fraud scheme. And we thank our partners at the FBI, Department of Labor, and Small Business Administration for uncovering this crime.”
Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office said: “The sentencing of the final defendant in this multimillion-dollar pandemic fraud scheme brings long-overdue justice to more than 900 victims whose lives were disrupted by greed and deception... These defendants did not just steal money; they stole peace of mind from hardworking Americans during a national crisis. This outcome was made possible through the relentless work of members from the FBI Detroit Area Corruption Task Force, alongside our federal partners at the U.S. Department of Labor – OIG and the Small Business Administration – OIG. Our office will continue to pursue those who exploit national emergencies for personal gain and ensure they are held fully responsible under the law.”
Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General at U.S. Department of Labor added: “The defendants stole from unemployment insurance programs that exist to help American workers during a once-in-a-generation global pandemic... Our team will relentlessly protect the integrity of these critical benefit programs and pursue accountability for anyone who tries to game the system for personal gain.”
Michelle Blank, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge at SBA-OIG said: “This sentencing serves as a reminder that fraud is not a victimless crime, and it has no place in SBA lending programs... SBA-OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and pursue those who use stolen personal information to obtain disaster and relief funds.”
The investigation was conducted by agents from several federal agencies including FBI’s Michigan Division; United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General; Great Lakes Region; Small Business Administration–Office of Inspector General; with prosecution handled by Assistant United States Attorneys John K. Neal and Alyse Wu.
