Seven people from New York City and Long Island have been busted in a huge COVID relief fraud structure that netted$ 44 million — and one of the accused was so audacious he rapped about his violence in a music named after the IRS , the government alleged Wednesday.
The suspects scammed the funds through thousands of fraudulent tax returns, spending it on jewellery, designer clothes, expensive cars and electronics, according to federal prosecutors who called it the largest program of its kind in the U. S.
One suspect, Keith Williams, described the fraud on a recorded call as like “taking candy from a baby, ” while another, Jamari Lewis , bragged about the scheme in a rap track titled “Im Really Sophisticated ( IRS ), ” the feds allege.
Lewis, 26, of Queens, who raps under the name “Mr. Chaketah, ” flashes high-end clothes and sneakers in the song ’s music video, singing, ““That government bread I ran that s–t up, like how am I gon ’ lose? ” the authorities allege.
All seven defendants have been indicted in Long Island Federal Court.
The swindlers took advantage of some government reduction plans enacted by Congress in 2020 at the top of the COVID crisis, which shut down the U. S. business and caused the death of more than 1. 2 million Americans.
They applied for resources through the Employee Retention Credit, which was established to provide businesses incentive to keep paying personnel while they were shut down by giving back a portion of their income to the companies through taxes credits, the feds allege.
Federal prosecutors refer to the system as the largest Individual Retention Credit forgery case in the country.
The fraudsters even applied for Sick and Family Keep Credit, and some scammed comfort bucks out of the Paycheck Protection Program, the government allege.
Williams, 46, of West Hempstead, ran much of the scam’s operations out of his credit repair business, “Credit Reset, ” the feds allege, and the suspects churned out thousands of tax returns between November 2021 and June 2023.
A attack of Williams ’ household found millions of dollars in comfort things investigators believe was bought with the ill-gotten comfort cash — including items from Rolex, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Balenciaga and Versace, and vehicles like a Land Rover, a Polaris Slingshot and a Tesla Model Y, the authorities said.
“As alleged, the defendants shamefully took advantage of a global health emergency to line their pockets with millions of dollars that were intended for struggling families and small businesses just trying to stay afloat and lavished themselves with luxury goods while shamefully boasting about their criminal activity, ” acting U. S. Attorney John Durham said Wednesday.
Williams ’ lawyer, Chris Cassar, called the indictment “overreaching. ”
“The government will be unable to prove that Keith Williams intentionally and knowingly committed any conspiracy or tax crime, ” he said.
The other suspects include Janine Davis, 41, of Wheatley Heights, Morais Dicks, 55, of Dix Hills, James Hames, 65, of Campbell Hall, Ewendra Mathurin, 32, of Queens Village, and Tiffany Williams, 41, of Brooklyn.
Williams ’ lawyer, Gilbert Bayonne, said Wednesday she entered a not guilty plea, and it ’s too soon in the process to comment on the case. Dicks ’ lawyer, Darnell Crosland, said his client “firmly denies the allegations. ”
“ He has always conducted his business with honesty and integrity. The charges are unfounded, ” Crosland said.
The other suspects ’ lawyers did n’t immediately return messages seeking comment Wednesday.
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