A Cincinnati man, Herman Brunis, 62, has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison after being charged with COVID-19 relief fraud. The sentence was handed down by a U.S. District Court on Tuesday, following the discovery of false applications submitted by Brunis in 2020 for pandemic aid. Additionally, he's been ordered to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution.
Details uncovered in the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Ohio announcement reveal that Brunis had applied for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for two supposedly separate entities, G Max Design and Construction and G Max LLC. Brunis used a Texas co-conspirator for the preparation of applications, which reportedly were adjusted with false data to increase the likelihood of approval. Having received $299,800 in funds, they were used by Brunis on personal expenses.
Gina Brunis, who is the name holder of both business entities and the wife of Herman Brunis at the time of the fraudulent actions, has also been charged federally. The U.S. Attorney's Office stated that the co-conspirator in Texas responsible for preparing the applications is presently engaged with law enforcement officials for his role in a broader fraud operation.
Acting United States Attorney Kelly A. Norris, together with IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd, made the announcement of the sentence, which was imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan represented the government in this case. Bearing personal costs for restitution along with legal repercussions, the case against Herman Brunis closes a chapter in the ongoing scrutiny of COVID-19 relief fraud.
