Miami tax preparer accused of submitting 118 fraudulent COVID claims

MIAMI – A South Florida tax preparer received nearly $ 1 million in coronavirus relief funds after submitting more than 100 fraudulent claims for himself and others, prosecutors said federal.
Leonel Rivero, 35, of Miami, was charged Tuesday with wire fraud, court records show. His first appearance in federal court in Miami is scheduled for next Tuesday.
Rivero owned a tax preparation business and submitted around 118 fraudulent loan applications on behalf of himself and his accomplices, according to the criminal complaint. Those loan requests totaled more than $ 2.3 million, and Rivero and his accomplices received about $ 975,582, investigators said. On each loan application, Rivero falsified the applicant’s income and expenses from the previous year and submitted fraudulent tax forms to the IRS, officials said.
Court records online did not mention a lawyer for Rivero.
The Paycheque Protection Program represents billions of dollars in repayable small business loans for Americans struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s part of the coronavirus relief program that became federal law last March.
• • •
CORONAVIRUS IN FLORIDA: Find the latest numbers for your county, city or zip code.
NEED A VACCINE? Here’s how to find one in the Tampa Bay and Florida area..
Questions and answers about vaccines: Have questions about the coronavirus vaccine? We have answers, Florida.
GET THE DAYSTARTER MORNING UPDATE: Sign up to receive the most recent information.
GET THE DAYSTARTER MORNING UPDATE: Sign up to receive the most recent information.
A TRIBUTE TO THE FLORIDIANS TAKEN BY CORONAVIRUS: They were parents and retirees, policemen and doctors, imperfect but deeply loved.
DO YOU HAVE AN ADVICE? : Send us confidential topical advice
We’re working hard to bring you the latest coronavirus news in Florida. This effort takes a lot of resources to collect and update. If you are not yet a subscriber, please consider purchasing a print or digital subscription.