NYC public employees among 19 accused of pandemic aid fraud

By KAREN MATTHEWS
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Nineteen people including 17 New York City and New York state public employees have been charged in a federal complaint with submitting fraudulent applications for funds intended to help small businesses survive the coronavirus pandemic. Prosecutors say the accused listed themselves as owners of businesses that in some cases did not exist in their applications for funds through the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and Paycheck Protection Program. The defendants were charged Wednesday with wire fraud, and nine were also charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. One defendant was charged with aggravated identity theft. Information on their attorneys wasn’t immediately available.