Seattle pair charged with defrauding COVID1-9 benefit programs
https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-pair-charged-with-defrauding-covid1-9-benefit-programs
SEATTLE - The Department of Justice says a Seattle area pair was indicted Wednesday for more than $1 million in fraud on COVID-19 relief programs.
U.S. Attorney Nick Brown charged Bryan Alan Sparks, 40, and Autumn Gail Luna, 22, with defrauding the Washington State Employment Security Division.
The DOJ says the pair reportedly took more than $500,000 in benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Division and $520,000 from the Small Business Administration.
According to the indictment, from March 2020 to January 2021, the two allegedly used the stolen identities of more than 50 Washington residents to apply for unemployment benefits.
They are also accused of using many of the same stolen identities to apply for loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
The two are charged with conspiracy, five counts of mail fraud, six counts of wire fraud, and four counts of aggravated identity theft.