Source: US Department of Justice / DOJ
The U.S. government had the right idea last year when they began their Paycheck Protection Program for businesses looking to keep their workers paid and stay afloat amidst the shutdown caused by the raging pandemic. Unfortunately many suspect business owners and scammers, and Kanye West, allegedly, used the opportunity to enrich themselves and purchases all kinds of lavish items.
Naturally many were found out and now face harsh consequences for trying to get over on the government, and one Florida man has learned that sooner or later you’re going to have to pay the piper. The Miami Herald is reporting that 29-year-old David T. Hines was just sentenced to 6 years in prison for defrauding the government out of $3.9 million in PPP money after pleading guilty to one charge of wire fraud this past February. Using the money to buy himself a Lamborghini Huracan and other luxury items, Hines thought he had gotten one over on the program lenders, but was ultimately found out and booked for his transgression.
Looking to cash in on the program from the get-go, Hines submitted multiple PPP applications to a PPP-participating lender and claimed to have had dozens of employees which cost him millions in monthly payroll.
“As part of his guilty plea, Hines admitted that he fraudulently sought millions of dollars in PPP loans through applications to an insured financial institution on behalf of different companies,” the Justice Department said after his guilty plea in February. “Plea documents indicate that in the days and weeks following the disbursement of PPP funds, Hines did not make payroll payments that he claimed on his loan applications. He did, however, use the PPP proceeds for personal expenses.”
One of those “personal expenses” included a $318,000 Lamborghini.
Interestingly enough Hines got himself on the police radar after flagging down a cop car to tell them that his girlfriend has stolen his Lambo last July. After police found the car, Hines and his girlfriend became “uncooperative” with authorities and fled the scene before later being found and arrested. Had it not been for that hiccup the man might’ve still been riding high on the fraudulent hog.
Hines received a probationary sentence for resisting an officer without violence, but is now serving a nice prison stint for the manner in which he purchased his once stolen Lambo.
Karma, bro. Just, Karma.
