MIAMI – A former Miami police officer is facing federal charges after authorities said he lied to get two COVID-19 relief loans in 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
According to prosecutors, Gregory Dennis, 45, pled guilty to wire fraud in connection with two fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans he submitted to a Small Business Administration (SBA)-approved PPP lender while he was still employed with the City of Miami Police Department.
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Investigators said on March 28, 2021, Dennis submitted a false and fraudulent PPP loan application on behalf of a cleaning business he allegedly owned and operated.
The PPP loan application falsely represented his business’ 2020 overall gross income and in support of the application, he submitted a false and fraudulent IRS Form 1040, including a Schedule C, for tax year 2020, authorities said.
After submitting the falsified application, authorities said Dennis later obtained a $20,833 PPP loan from a California-based SBA-approved PPP lender.
Investigators said Dennis also submitted a second false and fraudulent PPP loan application on April 10, 2021, seeking a second draw PPP loan.
According to the DOJ, Dennis once again claimed to be a sole proprietor operating a cleaning service, and his second application also fraudulently represented his business’ 2020 gross income.
Detectives said Dennis’ second application also was supported by the same false and fraudulent 2020 IRS Form 1040 and Schedule C that was used to fraudulently obtain the first PPP loan.
After the fraudulent application was successfully approved, Dennis received an additional $20,833 in second-draw PPP loan proceeds from the same California-based lender, authorities said.
Dennis is scheduled for sentencing on June 13 before U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas in Fort Lauderdale.
He faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.