SPOKANE, Wash.-Three people, including two residents of the Tri-Cities, were indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for COVID-19 Relief Fraud.
Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington announced the indictments on Friday, March. 8.
Kelly Jo Driver, of South Carolina, David Kurt Schneider, of Kennewick and Leif Gerald Larsen, of Pasco were charged with bank fraud, wire fraud and filing false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office announcing the indictment.
David Kurt Schneider is also charged with money laundering.
The three fraudulently obtained at least $250,000 in CARES Act funding through the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the three also submitted fraudulent applications seeking at least an additional $1,000,000 in CARES Act funding that were ultimately not approved.
The indictment alleges that the three submitted funding applications in the name of Larsen Firearms, owned by Leif Gerald Larsen, and Solar Mobility LLC, RealNZ Water LLC, and Tempest Tactical Solutions, LLC, all owned by David Kurt Schneider, with false information regarding revenue and the number of actual employees.
The case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force. The fraud charges carry sentences of up to 30 years in federal prison as well as restitution for fraudulently-obtained funds, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
