Man charged for 10 million dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scheme

 

Date: March 7, 2024

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

A California man made his initial appearance in Alexandria today to face charges for a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $10 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act loans.

According to court documents, Craig David Davis, of Marina Del Rey, allegedly submitted fake tax documents and business records to three banks to obtain two Paycheck Protection Program loans and one Main Street Lending Program loan totaling $10,695,300.

Davis is charged with four counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.

U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington D.C. Field Office, and Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery Brian Miller made the announcement.

IRS-CI and the Special Investigator for Pandemic Recovery are investigating the case, with assistance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Inspector General, FBI, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Robeson for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney David A. Peters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.