The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) charged 14 people in two separate investigations into their alleged participation in schemes to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of more than $28 million in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration.
In Florida, nine defendants have been charged in the U.S District Court for the Southern District of Florida with wire and bank fraud and conspiracy for seeking $24 million in forgivable PPP loans. The defendants include Damion O. Mckenzie, 38, of Miami Gardens, Florida; Andre M. Clark, 46, of Miramar, Florida; Keyaira Bostic, 31, of Pembroke Pines, Florida; Phillip J. Augustin, 51, of Coral Springs, Florida; Wyleia Nashon Williams, 44, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; James R. Stote, 54, of Hollywood, Florida; Ross Charno, 46, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Deon D. Levy, 50, of Bedford, Ohio; and Abdul-Azeem Levy, 22, of Cleveland, Ohio.