Two Florida residents who happen to be neighbors pretended as farmers and owned ranches to get relief aids. They claimed an amount of $1.1 million.

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The Paycheck Protection Program is a relief aid under the CARES Act. It is an aid that aims to help business owners to continue to operate amid the global pandemic and make sure that their employees still work. One of the businesses included is in the agricultural sector.

However, many people took advantage of this program by pretending as an owner of a small business. According to a recently published article in Fox News, two neighbors in Florida pretended as farmers to claim PPP loans.

The pair was accused of working together to claim an estimated amount of $1.1 million relief aid by falsely claiming that both of them are farmers and operate farms on their Miami residential properties according to the officials.

The two Florida neighbors were identified as Latoya Stanley, 38 years old, and Johnny Philus, 33 years old. Both of them were charged on Wednesday in connection with allegations they filed four bogus COVID relief applications for forgivable loans

The Department of Justice also confirmed through a press release that the two claimed they own and operate farms that made them qualify for the Paycheck Protection Progam. Moreover, this is not the first case in the country since the CARES Act was approved.

Stanley allegedly filed a Paycheck Protection Program and claimed that she owned a company called Dream Gurl Beauty Supply LLC with 18 people working as staff. She also filed an Economic Injury Disaster Loan and said he operated a farm that employed five people and generated more than $800,000 in income, officials said.

Meanwhile, Philus allegedly claimed that he owned a company called Elegance Auto Boutique LLC with 29 employees. He also filed for Economic Injury Disaster Loan and said that he has a small yard and 10 people working on the farm.

Moreover, neither they were working as farmers nor owners of the farm, the Department of Justice said that both of them were able to claim an amount of $1.1 million Paycheck Protection Program before they were charged.

It is still not clear if there are any other persons in the said fraud activities or if the two persons planned together to commit the crime. What is clear to the Department of Justice is that the two pretended as farmers and owners of the farms.

Meanwhile, this is not the first incident of cases like this in the country because since the CARES Act was approved and was made into law, many falsely applied and claimed the Paycheck Protection Program. There are many reports about fraudulent activities in line with PPP loans.

Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud is encouraging everyone to report immediately to the department or local officials if they suspect anyone doing the same manner of activity.

The Paycheck Protection Program is intended to help small business owners and should not be taken advantage of by anyone.