A Kissimmee con took the COVID-19 relief effort for a ride, and now he's got a year and a day in the slammer to show for it. Jean Robert Dorcius, 68, was nailed for wire fraud after submitting bogus loan applications to the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Relief Program, nabbing roughly $440,515 in government cash intended for struggling businesses during the pandemic.
Instead of using the dough for payroll, as the programs intended, Dorcius funneled a cool $200,000 into his own pockets, according to United States Attorney's Office. The crafty schemer didn't stop there—he crafted a sham payroll that included himself, his kids, and his sis. All in all, he made it look like his business was bigger than it actually was, puffing up revenues and expenses to snatch more relief funds.
U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola, calling the shots, also hit Dorcius with $440,515 in restitution and ordered him to kiss goodbye to $109,900 of his ill-gotten gains in forfeiture. As reported on the United States Attorney's Office website, Homestead Security Investigations' Miami field office, led by Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury, brought the hammer down on this case.
The jig is up, but the case details live on over at the United States Attorney's Office website, where the curious can dig into case no. 22-cr-20553. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Bailyn and Annika M. Miranda, in charge of prosecution and asset forfeiture respectively, made sure justice was served. It's a costly reminder that during times of crisis, Uncle Sam's wallet isn’t up for grabs.
