A City of Miami Police Officer has admitted to exploiting the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a lifeline for small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, to fraudulently obtain over $200,000 in loans. Tramaine Liptrot, 43, pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges on Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.
While serving as an officer and owner of Liptrots Tax Services L.L.C, Liptrot and an associate submitted falsified PPP loan applications, as per court documents. In one application made on June 22, 2020, the duo claimed the company had substantial payroll expenses that simply did not exist. This maneuver netted them approximately $91,750. A subsequent application, filed on March 3, 2021, secured an additional $108,422 through similar deceit.
Liptrot awaits sentencing on August 6, which could see him face up to 20 years in prison. The investment of investigative resources by the FBI Miami's Area Corruption Task Force and the SBA-OIG underscores a commitment to integrity, as detailed in the U.S. Attorney's Office statement. Efforts to stem this tide of fraud have been complemented by the establishment of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force by the Attorney General in May 2021, and the formation of national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams, including one led by the Southern District of Florida's very own U.S. Attorney’s Office as of September 2022.
Individuals in possession of information concerning COVID-19-related fraud are encouraged to step forward and contact the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud.
