Omaha Man Sentenced To Prison, Ordered To Repay Pandemic Programs After Scam

From Nebraska Examiner:

By Paul Hammel

September 15, 2022

LINCOLN — An Omaha man has been sentenced to 10 months in prison and ordered to repay $45,833 after being found guilty of scamming the federal Paycheck Protection Program, designed to maintain employment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bion Flint, 44, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Robert Rossiter. to 10 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

During 2020 and 2021, Flint submitted or caused to be submitted applications for the PPP Program as well as the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, two programs designed to help those suffering due to the pandemic.

Flint misrepresented his income as a sole proprietor, and supported his applications with false tax documents, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

He and a co-conspirator submitted fraudulent applications for loans totaling approximately $82,563, and Flint obtained $40,833.

The U.S. Attorney General in 2021 established a fraud task force to track down people cheating the government.

Anyone with tips about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 programs should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or via the website: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Nebraskans want accountability from their elected officials and government. They want to know whether their tax dollars are being well-spent, whether state agencies and local governments are responsive to the people and whether officials, programs and policies are working for the common good. The Nebraska Examiner is a nonprofit, independent news source committed to providing news, scoops and reports important to our state.