By Forum Staff
A criminal complaint was unsealed on Monday in federal court in Brooklyn charging John Bolden and Anthony Carreira, who are detectives employed by the City Police Department, Jacqueline Johnson and Christian McKenzie with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their roles in an alleged scheme to submit fraudulent applications for loans under the United States Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, which Congress created as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Bolden, Johnson and McKenzie were arrested today, and their initial appearances are scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Judge Lois Bloom. Carreira has agreed to surrender at a later date.
Bolden, Johnson and McKenzie have been released on $25,000 bond.
Photo Courtesy of U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of NY
“As alleged, the defendants, including members of law enforcement responsible for upholding the law, defrauded the United States government out of relief funds meant for businesses struggling to survive the pandemic,” said Brooklyn U.S Attorney Peace.
As set forth in court filings, NYPD Detectives Bolden and Carreira owned partnership interests in a franchise location for a tax preparation business. Between May 2020 and October 2022, Bolden engaged in a scheme to defraud the SBA by working with his clients and co-defendants, including Carreira, Johnson and McKenzie, to fraudulently obtain PPP funds. Bolden sought to obtain, and in many cases did obtain, PPP funds for himself, his co-defendants and more than 65 individuals by helping submit online loan applications that contained materially false and fraudulent information. As part of the scheme, Bolden prepared fictitious Internal Revenue Service Form Schedule C documentation, which accompanied the loan applications, containing false information about his, his co-defendants’ and his clients’ places of employment, gross income and net income.
“As alleged, the defendants, including members of law enforcement responsible for upholding the law, defrauded the United States government out of relief funds meant for businesses struggling to survive the pandemic,” said Brooklyn U.S Attorney Breon Peace. “These arrests are a powerful reminder of this Office’s resolve to prosecute anyone who violated the public trust and took advantage of the COVID crisis by stealing from relief programs.”
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
