FL Man Guilty Of COVID Fraud Scheme Using Dead Business Partner’s Name: U.S. DOJ

BELLEAIR, FL — A federal jury found a Belleair man guilty of charges related to using his dead former business partner’s name in a COVID-19 loan fraud scheme, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.

Stephen L. Gurba, 69, was found guilty of wire fraud, making a false statement to a financial institution and aggravated identity theft.

Gurba faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment on each of the two wire fraud counts, up to 30 years in prison on the false statement charge and a two-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment on each of the two aggravated identity theft counts, the DOJ said.

Between March and June 2020, Gurba submitted false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications and supporting documentation on behalf of Big Red Express Trucking, LLC and Zenith Express, LLC.

To get approval and funding for the Big Red and Zenith EIDL loans, Gurba fraudulently assumed the identity of his former business partner, who died in 2019, listing his former business partner’s name, signature, and other means of identification on the loan applications certifying under criminal penalty that the applications were accurate, the DOJ said.

Gurba also used his former business partner’s name and forged his signature on the EIDL loan authorization agreements and loan notes he submitted to the Small Business Administration.

During post-loan related communications with the SBA, Gurba continued to impersonate his deceased business partner. Because of his fraudulent scheme, the SBA approved and funded the Big Red and Zenith EIDL loans.

Gurba also applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan on behalf of Big Red from an SBA authorized financial institution. He certified and signed under criminal penalty that all the PPP loan proceeds would be spent on payroll, mortgages, rent or other SBA authorized expenses.

“In reality, Gurba used PPP proceeds at a casino, to enrich himself and family members, pay off unrelated business debts, and other impermissible expenses,” the DOJ said.

Because of his false statements, he was approved for and funded a $955,000 PPP loan to Big Red.

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