Four people — including three Long Islanders and two NYPD detectives — were charged Monday with a scheme to defraud the Covid-era Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), federal authorities said.
John Bolden, 46, of Valley Stream, and Anthony Carreira, 42, of Staten Island, are both detectives with the New York Police Department, and were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Jacqueline Johnson, 78, also of Valley Stream, and Christian Mackenzie, 46, of Wheatley Heights, were also charged.
“The defendants … defrauded the United States government out of relief funds meant for businesses struggling to survive the pandemic,” said Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
Authorities said the four allegedly conspired to defraud the Small Business Administration and various financial institutions by submitting fraudulent applications for PPP loans between March 2020 and October 2022.
PPP loans were a part of the federal government’s response to the economic fallout from the Covid pandemic. They were established under the CARES Act, which was signed into law on March 27, 2020, and intended to help small businesses retain their employees and cover certain operational costs during the pandemic.
Bolden, who was also a tax preparer, assisted more than 65 individuals, including himself and the other three defendants, in obtaining these funds, according to investigators. The fraudulent activities included creating false documents, submitting fake loan applications, and misusing the loan proceeds.
Prosecutors alleged that Mackenzie acted as a middle man between Bolden and the clients, and Johnson helped direct clients to Bolden. Carreira, on the other hand, is alleged to have been involved by filing a tax form to Bolden claiming income from a non-existent business.
Bolden, Johnson and McKenzie were all released on bond. Carreira has agreed to surrender at a later date, authorities said.
