A Scranton man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of wire fraud. James G. Miller, Jr., 53, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for his involvement in a scheme that transferred over $1.5 million in fraudulently obtained benefits.
According to the Department of Justice, from February 2020 to January 2022, Miller assisted co-conspirators in illegally transferring $1,582,179 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Lost Wage Assistance Payments (LWAPs), and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) benefits. These funds were moved through various bank accounts, Bitcoin transactions, and mailings.
Miller’s role in the scheme involved acting as a “money mule,” receiving small amounts of money in exchange for allowing his mailing address and bank accounts to be used to transfer the fraudulently obtained funds to overseas counterparts. Miller’s sentence marks a significant step in holding individuals accountable for exploiting the Pandemic relief programs.
