CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — A Long Island man tied to one of the most infamous names in organized crime is scheduled to be sentenced Monday in federal court after admitting to a large-scale COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.
Carmine G. Agnello, the grandson of late Gambino crime family boss John Gotti, pleaded guilty to defrauding the United States Small Business Administration and multiple financial institutions of approximately $943,300, federal officials said.
The case centers on fraudulent applications submitted through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, a federal initiative created to help small businesses survive the financial fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Agnello is scheduled to be sentenced at 10 a.m. Monday before U.S. District Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury in federal court in Central Islip, according to court records.
Prosecutors said the defendant obtained nearly $1 million in relief funds through false representations tied to the program. Details about how the funds were used were not immediately included in the court notice.
The EIDL program, administered by the SBA, became a major target for fraud nationwide during the pandemic, with federal authorities pursuing hundreds of cases involving stolen or misused relief funds.
Agnello’s sentencing will determine what penalties he will face following his guilty plea in the case.
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