Cassandra Yolanda Clarke got nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 relief loans and grants under the federal Paycheck Protection Program.
But federal prosecutors say the Miramar woman spent the money on leasing a Bentley and going on a shopping spree at Bal Harbour Shops — and not her two businesses.
Clarke, who was indicted this week in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, allegedly submitted fraudulent IRS tax forms with the applications for her two businesses — Narotique Med Spa LLC and Narotique Beauty Bar Inc. — and used the fraudulently obtained funds for her personal expenses.
Clarke faces up to 10 years in prison for money laundering and 20 years in prison for wire fraud. The indictment charges her with three counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering.
The U.S. Justice Department has been aggressively prosecuting those suspected of COVID-19 related fraud. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Miami is one of several “strike force” units to pursue pandemic-related cases.
Federal prosecutors reported in 2022 that they had seized more than $1.2 billion in relief funds that “criminals were attempting to steal, and charged over 1,500 defendants with crimes in federal districts across the country.”
The U.S. Justice Department has been aggressively prosecuting those suspected of COVID-19 related fraud. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Miami is one of several “strike force” units to pursue pandemic-related cases.
Federal prosecutors reported in 2022 that they had seized more than $1.2 billion in relief funds that “criminals were attempting to steal, and charged over 1,500 defendants with crimes in federal districts across the country.”
But the U.S. Small Business Administration inspector general last year estimated that more than $200 billion may have been stolen from two large COVID-19 relief initiatives.
The SBA’s findings were far greater than the office’s previous projections and underscore how vulnerable the Paycheck Protection and COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs were to fraudsters, particularly during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.
READ MORE: The Great Grift: COVID-19 aid thieves bought fancy cars, a Pokemon card - even a private island
This is a News In Brief report. Visit WLRN News for in-depth reporting from South Florida and Florida news.
