A man from Plymouth, New Hampshire, Tyree Jones, has been sentenced to two years in prison for his involvement in a pandemic-related fraud conspiracy. The sentencing took place in the U.S. District Court in Portland, with Chief U.S. District Judge Lance Walker presiding over the case.
Jones, aged 33, will also face two years of supervised release following his prison term and has been ordered to pay $359,274 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). He had entered a guilty plea on January 8, 2025.
Court records reveal that between 2020 and 2021, Jones conspired with others to submit fraudulent applications for funds under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs. Through these schemes, he personally obtained $51,666 by falsely claiming to be the sole proprietor of non-existent businesses within the agricultural and trucking sectors.
Jones further extended his fraudulent activities by assisting others in obtaining PPP and EIDL funds in exchange for "kickbacks." Together with co-conspirators, he facilitated fraudulent applications for at least twelve other individuals using falsified IRS and bank documents.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation.
The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted on March 29, 2020. It aimed to provide financial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic through programs like EIDL and PPP. These initiatives were designed to support business owners affected by the pandemic's economic impact.