MIAMI – A South Florida nurse has fraudulently obtained about $ 420,000 in coronavirus relief funds, federal prosecutors said.
Giraldo Caraballo, 55, of Miami, made his first appearance in federal court in Miami on Friday. He is accused of making transactions with illegal proceeds and making false statements to a financial institution.
According to a criminal complaint, Caraballo applied for and received a loan for the Paycheck Protection Program on behalf of his company, Professional Skills Inc. He claims the company has 28 employees and an average monthly salary of $ 168,000, which according to the investigators was untrue. The complaint also alleges that Caraballo requested and received approximately $ 55,000 in a disaster loan for economic injuries. Instead of using the money for payroll, prosecutors said Caraballo transferred the money to other accounts and used it for personal expenses.
There is no defense attorney in the court who commented on the case against Caraballo.
The Paycheck Protection Program represents billions of dollars in small business loans for Americans struggling due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is part of the coronavirus relief package that became federal legislation in March.
The economic lending disaster program is managed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The program provides low-interest financing to small businesses, tenants and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters.