An Easton man has found himself entangled in a legal battle, facing new charges in a superseding indictment related to an alleged scheme exploiting COVID relief funds. Bill Dessaps, 47, is accused of using Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds to purchase a home in a relative's name, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The latest indictment introduced a second count of wire fraud conspiracy against Dessaps, who had already been indicted back in January 2024 on multiple counts, including wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering, and bank fraud. In the same month, five other individuals were charged in connection with the alleged PPP fraud operation. In an elaborate ruse, Dessaps, who runs a used car dealership in Abington, purportedly worked alongside conspirators in Massachusetts and Florida to submit a falsified PPP application, claiming the business had 40 employees with substantial monthly payroll costs, as the charging documents assert.
The fraudulent maneuver reportedly netted Dessaps an $836,800 loan. It's further alleged that after cashing in on the funds, the Easton man shelled out kickbacks to collaborators and funneled some of the proceeds into a joint account controlled by himself and the relative purported to be a straw buyer. The scheme also involved Dessaps and a real estate agent, who are accused of filing false mortgage applications and forging documents to exaggerate the relative's financial status to secure a $750,000 house.
When initial attempts to obtain more money fell short, Dessaps and the same real estate agent reportedly engineered a deceptive gift of $127,500 to meet the financial requirements for the home purchase. Allegations indicate that the money was wired to the real estate agent's girlfriend before being presented as a gift to the straw buyer—a complicated chain of events laid out by the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement. Charges lined up against Dessaps carry severe potential sentences, with wire fraud and conspiracy each allowing for up to 20 years in prison, while money laundering could add another 20 years, and bank fraud could bring a sentence of up to 30 years behind bars.
These efforts are part of broader tightened scrutiny spearheaded by the Attorney General's COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which is channeling collective government resources to curb pandemic-related fraud. The public is encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicions of COVID-19-related fraud by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or through its Web Complaint Form. The assertions in the charging documents serve as a stark reminder that guilt must be established in a court of law, as individuals charged are considered innocent until proven otherwise.
