MIAMI, Fla. — A former corrections sergeant from Miami-Dade, Arashio Harris, aged 48, has pleaded guilty to COVID-19 wire fraud in front of a U.S. District Judge. This announcement was made by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Harris, who used to serve as a Corrections Sergeant with the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (MDCRD), confessed to committing wire fraud related to fraudulent applications for multiple financial aid.
These included two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, two Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and an EIDL advance. Harris entered his guilty plea in Miami on a Wednesday.
Investigations revealed that Harris was not only a former MDCRD Sergeant but also the owner and President of two companies, namely The Good Family Property Solutions Inc. (“Good Family”) and Flying Lions LLC (“Flying Lions”).
Collaborating with an associate, on April 3, 2020, Harris submitted a false EIDL application in the name of Good Family to the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”). This application sought both an EIDL and an EIDL advance.
In this deceitful application, Harris falsely claimed that in the 12 months leading up to January 31, 2020, Good Family had generated around $130,000 in gross revenues and had a workforce of nine employees. Consequently, Good Family received a $9,000 EIDL advance and $14,500 as EIDL loan proceeds from the SBA.
Harris also admitted to submitting another fraudulent EIDL application for Flying Lions on June 30, 2020. This application stated that Flying Lions had earned over $480,000 in gross revenues and employed 10 people during the same time frame. As a result, Flying Lions obtained approximately $150,000 in EIDL proceeds from the SBA.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office highlighted that this fraudulent activity occurred twice.
Harris is scheduled for sentencing on October 27 at 12:30 p.m. in Miami. He could face a prison sentence of up to 20 years for his actions.
