17 Broward County, Florida deputies have been charged with PPP loan fraud. This comes after an internal investigation revealed that around 100 employees with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO) applied for PPP loans. Many of these individuals did have legitimate companies aside from their BSO employment that could be eligible for these loans. Others did not. Of those charged, seven were members of the Department of Law Enforcement including one sergeant. Another sergeant and eight others were with the Department of Corrections. The 17 deputies received a total of $500,000 in fraudulent loans.
PPP is an acronym that stands for Paycheck Protection Program. It was designed to give businesses relief from COVID lockdowns. Billions (and trillions) of dollars were spent on the program. At least 10% of the total monies given out for PPP loans were based on pure fraud. The true amount of fraud from these loans is probably much higher. Many of the offenders will probably never be caught and prosecuted due to just how widespread the fraud was.
SOURCES:
More than a dozen Broward deputies charged with PPP loan fraud – YouTube
‘Biggest fraud in a generation’: The looting of the Covid relief program known as PPP
Could more arrests within BSO be coming over fraudulent PPP loans?
Florida Police Deputies Charged With Stealing Nearly A Half Million Dollars In Covid Funds
17 Florida deputies charged with COVID-19 relief fraud | CBS 42
17 Broward County, Florida deputies charged in covid relief fraud – The Washington Post
17 Florida sheriff’s office employees charged with COVID relief fraud: Feds – ABC News
