A Boston man, Robert Platt Jr., was sentenced in federal court for fraudulently obtaining pandemic-related relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun sentenced Platt to time served, which is one day, followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $20,833 in restitution and forfeiture.
In September 2024, Platt pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and making false statements. His arrest occurred in February 2024 alongside over 40 members and associates of the Heath Street Gang, who faced charges including racketeering conspiracy and financial frauds related to COVID-19.
The PPP was part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act aimed at supporting small businesses during the pandemic. Loans under this program were processed by participating lenders and guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Platt submitted a fraudulent loan application in April 2021 for his alleged construction business. The application included false information about the business's income in 2019 and the intended use of the loan. He also provided false tax records to support his application, resulting in him receiving approximately $20,833. These funds were spent on non-business expenses such as transactions at Encore Boston Harbor Casino.
The case announcement was made by United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Jonathan Mellone from the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General; and Jonathan Wlodyka from IRS Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Hoefle and Lucy Sun prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation that targets high-level criminal organizations using a multi-agency approach.
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force was established on May 17, 2021, by the Attorney General to combat pandemic-related fraud through enhanced efforts across government agencies.
Reports of attempted COVID-19 fraud can be made via the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or their web complaint form.