A guy from Wheatland was sentenced to almost three years in prison for trying to defraud the US by filing fictitious COVID-19 relief requests. According to court records made public by the Department of Justice, 44-year-old Jason Toland was found guilty of attempting to gain more than $13.4 million through fabricated loan applications and tax returns in a case made public by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Evidence revealed that Toland, who lacked any legal companies or workers, submitted claims totaling more than $11 million using shell corporations to take advantage of epidemic tax credits, such as the COVID Sick and Family Leave Credit and the Employee Retention Credit. Toland was successful in pocketing over $1.95 million for his personal purposes through his fraudulent scam. He was sentenced by the sentencing court to pay back $2,078,462 to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert said, “The COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force continues to pursue pandemic fraud, including the abuse of tax credits for personal gain,” according to the Department of Justice. He emphasized the determination to track down and prosecute individuals who target credits meant for firms that were actually having financial difficulties during the pandemic.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Oakland Field Office denounced Toland’s activities, saying, “Mr. Toland’s fraudulent and nefarious scheming took aim at funds designated to help both small businesses and American citizens in the midst of a global pandemic.” “We are the experts in financial investigations, and we build cases that result in justice,” he declared, underscoring IRS-CI’s dedication to combating financial crime, as stated by the Department of Justice.
Several agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the SBA Office of Inspector General, worked together to handle this case. It is a component of a broader effort by the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force of the Department of Justice to address widespread pandemic relief fraud cases that have attempted to take advantage of the United States amid a crisis of unparalleled proportions.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
Leave a Reply