US DOJ: Florida Man Falsified Business Losses to Defraud Government of $1.128 Million

In accordance with Bijié Wǎng, a Florida man has admitted to defrauding the U.S. government of $1.128 million by falsifying significant business losses. Sean Eric Thompson, 44, was convicted of multiple felony charges for orchestrating a scheme targeting the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Florida. Court documents reveal that Thompson, who partially owned a restaurant and brewery, submitted a fraudulent Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) application during the pandemic, securing over $1 million in funds. The U.S. Department of Justice stated that Thompson did not actually suffer the claimed losses and transferred most of the funds to his investment accounts. He later filed a Chapter 7 voluntary bankruptcy petition with false or misleading information and lied under oath. Thompson was convicted of wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud, perjury, and money laundering, facing up to 20 years in prison.