An American businessman, David T. Hines has been arrested after he diverted the $4 million (23.1 million cedis) COVID-19 relief loans he got and bought an expensive Lamborghini Huracan Evo.
The loans approved by the Trump administration and Congress were meant for Hines’ supposedly ailing South Florida moving business.
The Italian-made flashy car — purchased by Hines in May for $318,497 (1.8 million cedis) — was not on the list of permissible expenses under a Small Business Administration loan program meant to protect employees and cover other legitimate costs like rent during the coronavirus pandemic.
After being arrested over the weekend, it was gathered that he has also spent thousands of dollars on dating websites, jewelry and clothes, along with stays at high-end hotels such as the Fontainebleau and Setai on Miami Beach.
Hines’ and other similar fraud cases are starting to pop up in South Florida and other parts of the country.
The PPP loans are forgiven by the government if they are properly used by businesses.
Congress is considering another major SBA loan infusion as the raging pandemic continues to hurt the U.S. economy.
Federal investigators linked the Lamborghini to Hines, who appeared in Miami federal court on fraud and other charges Monday, after he was involved in a hit-and-run accident on July 11. Miami police impounded his car, and now prosecutors plan to seize it.
Source: New York Times | PM News
