BY: 24/7 CRIME DESK | BocaNewsNow.com
BROWARD COUNTY, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2024 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A Broward Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team officer will spend several months in federal prison after she was convicted of COVID-19 relief fraud. The United States Department of Justice provide this advisory to BocaNewsNow.com:
In 2021, Alexandra Acosta, 38, of Tamarac, Fla., conspired with her tax preparer, Vilsaint St. Louis, to apply for and receive a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for herself as a sole proprietor doing business as a realtor based upon materially false information about her average monthly income in 2019, including two falsified IRS tax forms submitted with the application. Acosta also sought and received forgiveness of the fraudulently obtained PPP loan, which totaled over $20,000 in principal and interest. During the period of the scheme, Acosta was employed as a deputy sheriff and SWAT team member with the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO).
In addition to the term of incarceration, Acosta was also ordered to pay a $4,000 fine. Acosta previously repaid the fraudulently obtained loan funds.
St. Louis pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and was sentenced for his involvement in the scheme.
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U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe; Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker of the Eastern Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-OIG); Sheriff Gregory Tony of BSO; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FRB-OIG, BSO, and FBI Miami investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trevor Jones and Adam Love prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.
