3 charged with disaster relief fraud
STAFF REPORT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 3 months AGO
SPOKANE — A federal grand jury indicted three Eastern Washington residents - including a man from Moses Lake - last week for fraud in obtaining COVID-19 relief money, according to a Department of Justice press release.
“COVID-19 relief programs were designed to lift up our community during crisis, and due to the number of people and businesses that request funding, some deserving small businesses were not able to obtain funding to keep their businesses in operation,” said Vanessa Waldref, a U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
According to the press release, Stephanie and Stephen Murphy of Davenport have both been charged with nine counts for fraudulently obtaining loans under the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program. The PPP was designed to help businesses hard-hit by the closures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by helping them pay wages for employees.
According to the indictment, the Murphies obtained three PPP loans for fictitious landscaping and wood products manufacturing businesses in 2021.
Also indicted last week was Dondre Jackson of Moses Lake for six counts of fraud in connection with two PPP loans for a fictitious catering business, the press release said.
In neither case did the businesses exist, the press release said, and the defendants submitted fake documents to obtain more than $100,000 in loans.
In February, Waldref assembled a COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force consisting of agents from the SBA, FBI, U.S. Treasury, U.S. Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Veterans Affairs, the IRS and federal prosecutors to investigate and prosecute fraud in COVID-19 relief programs.
According to the press release, the fraud charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison as well as repayment of fraudulently acquired funds.
ARTICLES BY STAFF REPORT
Connell woman killed in Booker Road crash
CONNELL — Charges are pending against a Kennewick man following a collision about 12 miles south of Othello that killed a Connell woman and injured three other people Tuesday evening. A Washington State Patrol press memo said intoxicating substances were a factor. Jessica Zarate, 37, Connell, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash near the intersection of SR 17 and South Booker Road, the WSP memo said. She was driving south on Booker Road approaching the intersection when her car was hit by a pickup driven by John Reiss, 62, Kennewick. Edgar Garcia Quirino, 28, Othello, was driving north on SR 17 and ran into Zarate's car, the WSP memo said. The crash occurred at about 6:40 p.m.
Wheeler Road closed because of traffic collision
UPDATE: The road was reopened as of noon, according to a GCSO media release. MOSES LAKE — Grant County Sheriff’s Office has announced there is a road closure between Road 3-NE and Road S-NE. There was a serious traffic collision. GCSO is asking for drivers to avoid the area and find alternative routes. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Doors opening: The Currents will provide homeownership for more local workers
About 104 homes are planned at the former Atlas sawmill site
Teachers, nurses, firefighters and other workers who keep Coeur d’Alene running will soon have more places to buy a home in the community where they work. About 104 homes are being planned to be built at Atlas Waterfront, on roughly 10 acres that are part of a swath of land that was once home to the Atlas sawmill and is being redeveloped. Ignite CDA, the city of Coeur d’Alene’s urban renewal agency, is leading this effort.