Freddy Urribarri, 42, and Mairilin Munoz, 39, both Venezuelan nationals with Temporary Protected Status residing in Dania Beach, Florida, have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering involving the submission of fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications.
The indictment alleges that Urribarri and Munoz collaborated to submit false PPP applications intended for Covid-19 relief funds aimed at aiding small business owners during the pandemic. They reportedly filed two loan applications for sole proprietorships and one for FU&MM General Services, a company where they served as president and vice president, respectively. The application exaggerated the company's income and employee count, resulting in a loan approval of approximately $438,000.
Upon receiving the funds, the defendants engaged in activities to disguise the origins of the money, and Munoz conducted transactions exceeding $10,000 with the proceeds. They also allegedly provided false tax documentation to support a PPP loan forgiveness application.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations Miami announced the charges. The case was investigated by HSI Miami, with prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein.
"The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty," the officials stated.
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, established on May 17, 2021, aims to combat pandemic-related fraud. This initiative combines resources from the Department of Justice and other agencies to address fraud prevention and prosecution. Additional information regarding court documents can be accessed at the District Court for the Southern District of Florida's website under case number 25-cr-20151.