Central Florida Defendant Indicted on Charges of Seaman Manslaughter and PPP Fraud
An Ocala man has been indicted in federal court on charges of operating an illegal scuba charter business that allegedly caused the death of one person. He then used that business to make fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program claims. The 49-year-old suspect made an initial appearance in court on an indictment charging him with:
- One count of seaman’s manslaughter
- One count of making false statements
- Three counts of wire fraud
These are all federal charges. According to federal authorities, the defendant bought a 48-foot boat in March 2020 that he named the “Southern Comfort”. He made false claims to the U.S. Coast Guard regarding the boat. He told the Coast Guard he had purchased the boat for recreational purposes when, in fact, he was using it to conduct paid scuba charters. The indictment goes on to say that the defendant refitted the boat by removing the vessel’s main deck engine controls. He then proceeded to conduct paid scuba dives without authorization.
According to the indictment, the defendant’s “misconduct, negligence, and inattention to his duties” aboard the Southern Comfort led to the death of an individual who was paying him for scuba charters. This led to his formal suspension from providing any paid services with the boat.
After the defendant lost his right to operate the boat for profit, the indictment alleges that he then used his business to apply for PPP loans. In some doing, he misrepresented the size of his business and the number of employees he had. He thus fraudulently obtained loans from the PPP program.
Federal wire fraud charges
Wire fraud is a federal offense, charged and prosecuted by the federal government, that accuses a suspect of using electronic communications, such as the Internet, to intentionally deceive and defraud someone of money, property, or honest services. The crime can be found in Title 18, Section 1343 of the United States Code. To secure a conviction for wire fraud, the prosecution must establish several elements beyond a reasonable doubt. Those include:
- The defendant must have engaged in a scheme to defraud
- The scheme must have involved material misstatements or omissions
- The scheme must have used interstate or international wire communications in furtherance of the scheme to defraud
- The defendant must have used or caused the use of interstate wirings
The defendant faces up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted on the seaman’s manslaughter charge. He can face up to 5 years in prison for making false statements to the Coast Guard. His three counts of wire fraud each have a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. He could be facing a maximum of 60 years on the wire fraud charges alone.
Talk to a Tallahassee Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
Luke Newman, P.A. represents the interests of Tallahassee residents who are facing federal charges. Call our Tallahassee criminal lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.
