Christopher Grant, 41, from Buckhannon, West Virginia, has been sentenced to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $35,168 in restitution after pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal public money, property, or records. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia announced the sentencing today, revealing that Grant fraudulently obtained both unemployment benefits and a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Grant applied for and received unemployment benefits starting in March 2020 after losing his job as a sales manager at a Charleston auto dealership. However, despite returning to work by April 2020, he continued to claim unemployment benefits through July 2020, illegally obtaining $14,336, including funds from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program under the CARES Act. For 14 consecutive weeks, Grant falsely certified his eligibility, knowing he was no longer entitled to the funds.
In addition to the unemployment fraud, Grant applied for a PPP loan in March 2021, falsely stating he earned $104,580 as an independent contractor, when in reality, his earnings were only $33,900. This false claim resulted in Grant receiving the maximum loan amount of $20,832, which he admitted to using for personal expenses, including paying bills and making purchases.
Grant’s actions are part of a broader wave of fraudulent claims during the pandemic, and his sentencing highlights the government’s efforts to address such crimes.