A New York theme park owner has pleaded guilty to a scheme involving the fraudulent acquisition of millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds. Donald Finley, who owns the Bayville Adventure Park in Long Island, admitted to stealing over $3.2 million through fraudulent loan applications. As part of his scheme, Finley used a portion of the embezzled funds to purchase a house in Nantucket. Alongside his ownership of the theme park, Finley was previously the proprietor of the Jekyll & Hyde theme restaurant in Manhattan, which closed down in 2022 due to bankruptcy.
Prosecutors revealed that Finley obtained small business loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDLP) by submitting falsified information to the government during the pandemic. Through this deceptive practice, he managed to secure at least 29 loans on behalf of his corporate entities between March 2020 and March 2021. The 61-year-old is now facing the possibility of 30 years in prison and has been ordered to pay restitution of the stolen $3.2 million, in addition to a fine of up to $1.25 million.
During his court appearance, Finley expressed deep remorse for his actions. The sentencing is scheduled for November 8. The case serves as a reminder of the exploitative nature of disaster relief programs, with criminals taking advantage of opportunities for personal gain. Despite his ownership of an amusement park synonymous with joy, Finley’s guilty plea may lead to a less enjoyable future for him.
The fraudulent acquisition of COVID-19 relief funds has become a widespread issue, with an estimated $100 billion being stolen by fraudsters who indulged in extravagant lifestyles using the ill-gotten money. The US government allocated approximately $6 trillion in emergency relief funds to prevent economic disaster, making it challenging to track down and prosecute the culprits. Among those implicated are former NFL players, reality TV stars, and individuals who spent the fraudulently obtained funds on luxury items like Lamborghinis and Rolex watches, and even a contract murder.
In response to the rampant fraud, the Secret Service appointed a National Pandemic Fraud Recovery Coordinator, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Roy Dotson, to lead efforts in investigating fraudulent relief claims. The fraudulent schemes spanned multiple rounds of relief funding under both the Trump and Biden administrations. The Biden administration acknowledges the issue as one inherited from its predecessor.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
