Brandler – Financial Treason & Crime

06/30/202106/30/2021

Article: Department of Justice Begins Third Distribution of Forfeited Funds to Compensate Victims of Fraud Scheme Facilitated by Western Union

Department of Justice Begins Third Distribution of Forfeited Funds to Compensate Victims of Fraud Scheme Facilitated by Western Union

Department of Justice, 30 June 2021

The Department of Justice announced today that the Western Union Remission Fund began its third distribution of approximately $66 million in funds forfeited to the United States from the Western Union Company (Western Union) to approximately 6,000 victims located in the United States and abroad. These victims, many of whom were elderly victims of consumer fraud, will be recovering the full amount of their losses.

This is the third in a series of distributions. The first two distributions paid more than $300 million to over 142,000 victims, all of whom received full compensation for their losses. The Department of Justice anticipates authorizing compensation for more victims in the coming months. Petitions are accepted on an ongoing basis and potential victims who have not applied for compensation will be provided the opportunity to apply this year. Continue reading “Article: Department of Justice Begins Third Distribution of Forfeited Funds to Compensate Victims of Fraud Scheme Facilitated by Western Union”

06/09/202106/10/2021

Article: Fortville woman convicted in $1.2M fraud case

Article - Media

Fortville woman convicted in $1.2M fraud case

Kristy Deer, 09 June 2021

HANCOCK COUNTY — A Fortville woman accused of working with co-conspirators overseas in a scheme that scammed deaf and elderly people across the country out of about $1.2 million has been convicted on multiple federal charges in a federal court in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Donna L. Summerlin, 62, Fortville, was found guilty late last week following a seven-day jury trial held before United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, the Department of Justice announced in a news release. The case, dating to 2018, was brought by the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Summerlin, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, faces a long prison sentence.

According to acting U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Summerlin was charged with taking money from victims in a so-called advance-fee scheme. Many of the victims were either elderly, deaf or both.

In the schemes, victims were contacted through Facebook and told they were winners of a “deaf lottery” or that they had been selected for special and exclusive government grants or other programs.

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06/04/202106/05/2021

Article: Owner Of Carlisle Area Trucking Business Charged With Covid-Relief Fraud

Article - Media, Publications

Owner Of Carlisle Area Trucking Business Charged With Covid-Relief Fraud

Department of Justice, 04 June 2021

HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Keith McConnell, age 43, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal information with perpetrating a wire fraud and money laundering scheme that sought $467,200.00 in COVID-19 relief funds guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

The PPP was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by the March 27, 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, PPP funds were offered in forgivable loans to small businesses for employee job retention and certain other expenses. PPP loan amounts were determined by the number of employees and average monthly payroll costs. Continue reading “Article: Owner Of Carlisle Area Trucking Business Charged With Covid-Relief Fraud”