Former NJ Man Sentenced to 16 Years for COVID Fraud Totaling $3.75M

Kevin Aguilar, a former New Jersey resident, was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for leading a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $3.75 million in COVID-19 relief funds intended for small businesses. Aguilar and his co-conspirators submitted false applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds on behalf of four businesses, then funneled the money through shell companies to conceal the fraud. The illicit funds were used to purchase personal assets, including a $1.5 million house in Texas and a $100,000 truck. Aguilar was also ordered to pay $3.77 million in restitution, forfeit over $1.5 million seized from his accounts and Texas properties, and serve five years of supervised release. His co-defendant, Jean Rabbit, has also pleaded guilty but has not yet been sentenced. The case is part of a broader federal effort to address pandemic-related fraud.