Charleston man sentenced to federal prison for fraud related to fake lawn care business

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A Charleston man has been sentenced to one year in federal prison for running a fake lawn care business in order to get funds related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Antonio Brown Sanders, 26, of Charleston, was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraudulently applying for an Emergency Injury Disaster Law under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, according to a news release.

Evidence presented in court showed that Brown-Sanders applied to the Small Business Administration to receive an emergency disaster loan that fraudulently represented he owned a lawn care business. The application he submitted also falsely represented the number of employees and gross income, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Brown-Sanders received $81,600 from the SBA as a result of his application.

“The defendant in this case stole from American taxpayers and prevented pandemic-relief funds from reaching those who need them most,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs in the release.  “The District of South is committed to pursuing and investigating those who defraud government programs. We encourage any member of the public with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 to report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline.”

United States District Judge Richard Gergel sentenced Brown-Sanders to 12 months and one day in federal prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision, the release said. There is no parole in the federal system. Brown-Sanders was also ordered to pay the restitution still due in the amount of $65,246.48.

“The defendant in this case stole from American taxpayers and prevented pandemic-relief funds from reaching those who need them most,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs in the release.  “The District of South is committed to pursuing and investigating those who defraud government programs. We encourage any member of the public with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 to report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline.”

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form online.