5 Indicted In Federal COVID-19 Relief Fraud Case

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Five men have been indicted by a grand jury on federal charges accusing them of obtaining and misappropriating Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds, U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced Thursday.

Dennis Lynn Cartwright, Jr., Andre Jackson, David Kurbanov, Jamar Ahton Mason and James Williams were all charged in an investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force and other local police departments.

In all, they are charged with the following counts:

• Jemar Ahton Mason – conspiracy to commit wire fraud & wire fraud (each punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000); conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering (up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000); and two counts of attempting to engage in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity (each punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000)

• David Kurbanov – conspiracy to commit wire fraud & wire fraud (each punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000); conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering (up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000); and three counts of engaging in, or attempting to engage in, a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity (each punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000)

• Dennis Lynn Cartwright, Jr. – conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering (up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000) and engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity (up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000)

• Andre Jackson – conspiracy to commit wire fraud & wire fraud (each punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000); conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering (up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000); and attempting to engage in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity (up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000)

• James Williams – conspiracy to commit wire fraud & wire fraud (each punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000); conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering (up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000); and attempting to engage in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity (up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000)

The indictment alleges that Jemar Mason and David Kurbanov, along with Andre Jackson and James Williams, received nearly $1.5 million through the Small Business Administration and the PPP for two shell companies. Authorities also said that with the assistance of Cartwright Jr., the men tried to transfer the money to cover of the fact that it was fraudulently obtained.

Investigators recovered about $1.123 million of the loan funds, officials said. Mason, Kurbanov, and Cartwright live in the Grand Rapids area while Williams and Jackson live in the Atlanta, Georgia area.