We regularly advise businesses, entrepreneurs, artists and entertainers in trademark, brand protection, and copyrights, providing innovative and aggressive legal strategies for growing and protecting our clients’ goodwill and reputation and protecting their musical, literary, and technical works. A trademark is critical to establishing your image, your brand, and indeed, your very name. To that end, we […]
Government Affairs & Public Policy Government action can determine whether a project advances, a business expands, or an institution avoids costly delay. Our Government Affairs Practice helps clients win the right outcomes in the forums where decisions are made, with particular strength in Georgia at both the local and state levels. We operate as an […]
On August 29, 2024, the Department of Justice announced Roy L. Layne, an Arizona resident, pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and filing a false refund claim with the IRS. Layne’s plea is connected to allegations that he submitted false applications for COVID-19 relief funds and sought substantial tax refunds based on incorrect information. […]
On March 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a guilty plea by Mr. Gurgen Israyelyan for the theft of government property associated with COVID-19 relief funds. Mr. Israyelyan owned or controlled several entities, including Saint Christopher Hospice, Inc. in North Hollywood, California, according to the press release. The government noted that his hospice […]
On April 10, the Department of Justice announced that a Louisiana woman, Melissa J. Watson of Slidell, pleaded guilty to theft of public money in connection with an alleged scheme to misappropriate over $780,000 from the Provider Relief Fund (PRF), a COVID-19 relief program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Court documents suggest […]
Since 2020, Chilivis Grubman attorneys have closely monitored and documented indictments, guilty verdicts, and prison sentences tied to COVID-19 relief programs. Enforcement of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has spanned individuals and businesses nationwide, including NFL players, reality stars, business owners, and law enforcement personnel. Now, a California man has appeared in […]
On July 31, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Leon Haynes, a tax preparer from Teaneck, New Jersey, was arrested for fraudulently seeking over $124,000,000 from the IRS by filing over 1,000 tax returns falsely claiming COVID-19-related employment tax credits. According to the DOJ, Congress authorized relief measures, including the Employee Retention Tax Credit […]
In January 2023, Dr. Francis F. Joseph was convicted of theft in connection with healthcare and wire fraud for misappropriating nearly $250,000 from COVID-19 relief programs. The DOJ just announced that Dr. Joseph has been sentenced to 2.5 years in federal prison. According to court documents, Dr. Joseph operated, managed, and controlled Springs Medical Associates, […]
Chilivis Grubman attorneys have discussed the CARES Act and the government’s enforcement efforts related to abuses of the CARES Act. The CARES Act remains significant legislation designed to provide, through various programs and funding, relief to businesses and individuals harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. CG attorneys have often discussed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which […]
Chilivis Grubman attorneys have discussed the CARES Act and the government’s enforcement efforts related to abuses of the CARES Act. The CARES Act remains significant legislation designed to provide through various programs and funding, relief to businesses and individuals harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. CG attorneys have often discussed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which […]
On November 9, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a federal grand jury in Newark, New Jersey, returned an indictment charging an Indian national for an $8 million Covid-19 relief fraud scheme. According to the indictment, Abhishek Krishnan fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration […]
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was part of the CARES Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, the federal government made billions of dollars in forgivable loans to businesses that met certain criteria. COVID relief fund fraud has been a focus of the Department of Justice since the various programs’ inception. In […]
On May 9, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the sentencing of two Florida men, Phillip J. Augustin and James Stote for leading a nationwide scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. According to court […]
Since the CARES Act was enacted, Chilivis Grubman has reported on government efforts to curtail fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds provided by the CARES Act. Between 2020 and the early parts of 2021, the government frequently reported on its investigations related to COVID-19 relief fund fraud. In mid-to-late 2021, the government reported indictments and […]
On March 10, the Department of Justice announced the appointment of a chief prosecutor to oversee enforcement efforts stemming from fraud against COVID-19 pandemic relief funds. Associate Deputy Attorney General Kevin Chambers has been named the Director for COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement. President Joe Biden announced the creation of the position on March 1, stating that […]
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the sentencing of three men in the Middle District of North Carolina for fraudulently seeking over $2.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. According to the DOJ, […]
Mr. Tiyari Collins and Mrs. Farah Collins, a married couple, had pled guilty to tax fraud and fraud against COVID relief programs in an amount of at least $5.7 million in total. The fraud against the COVID relief programs was the result of fraudulent applications for loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the […]
Since the government enacted the CARES Act in 2020 to counter the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chilivis Grubman attorneys have warned about government enforcement actions related to CARES Act programs. One such program is the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which has provided hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses. […]
On October 20, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced that former NFL player, Kenbrell Thompkins, pled guilty to fraud, including COVID-19 relief-related fraud. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law in March of 2020. The CARES Act, through several programs and allowances, provides relief to businesses and […]
The Fraud Section of the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has prosecuted over 100 defendants in over 70 criminal cases and has seized more than $65 million in illegal proceeds from the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The DOJ continues to pursue individuals who defraud COVID-19 relief fund programs and has devoted significant resources and established several […]
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