BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony joined federal law enforcement officials Thursday for a news conference announcing the arrests of more than a dozen Broward Sheriff’s Office employees suspected of fraudulently applying for and receiving Paycheck Protection Program loans.
The news conference began around 2 p.m.
Sources told Local 10 News that as many as 40 employees are or were under investigation for PPP loan fraud.
Watch full news conference:
The loans were established during the pandemic to help various businesses and the self-employed continue to pay their workers as COVID restrictions limited how much of the economy could operate.
Tony said the PPP investigation was wide-ranging: All 5,500 BSO employees, including Tony himself, were looked at. The agency identified about 100 employees who took PPP loans and narrowed down the list further to those whose applications weren’t legitimate.
The following 17 employees, who work as either sworn law enforcement deputies or jailers, are slated to face federal charges:
- Alexandra Acosta, 37
- George Anthony III, 50
- Katrina Brown, 46
- Rorie Brown, 42
- Ke’Shondra Tameisha Davis, 37
- Allen Dorvil, 33
- Richie Noah Dubuisson, 25
- Keith Malon Dunkley, 46
- Alexis Monique Greene, 47
- Jewell Farrell Johnson, 46
- La’Keitha Victoria Lawhorn, 41
- Ancy Morancy, 33
- Derrick Nesbitt, 46
- Jean Pierre-Toussant, 35
- Marcus Errol Powell, 37
- Stephanie Diane Smith, 53
- Carolyn Denise Wade, 48
All are being charged separately with PPP wire fraud, except for Dunkley, who is being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
The 17 charged collectively took just under $500,000 from the federal government, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe said.
Some covered their faces as they left federal court in Fort Lauderdale Thursday.
Lapointe said there was no “conspiratorial component” among the 17 charged.
“We have not been able to find that coordination,” he said.
Tony, who called the allegations “very disappointing,” said all of the charged employees are in the process of being fired.
“We still have to follow proper protocols and since these are protected members with union rights and other different statutory obligations from the investigation practices that we have to follow, but I’m not going to sugarcoat or dance around this — at the end of the day, they will be gone,” Tony said.
The sheriff added, “If they’re being criminally charged, there’s no place for this in this organization and their due process components will be executed and we will go through that process, but this one here is a no-brainer. How can we have anyone wearing a badge that is stealing from the American people?”
Tony said some of those charged were “good officers.”
“But you are only as good as the last act and conduct that you execute,” he noted.
Lapointe said the investigation remains ongoing. Officials told Local 10 News that more indictments could come.
Brian Silber, an attorney representing some of the BSO employees, said he couldn’t comment on the nature of the case.
“Bonds were set, they are being released,” Silber said. “Nobody, as far as I know, is being detained and we will take it from there. We will be back in court.”
The head of the union representing BSO law enforcement deputies issued a statement to Local 10 News about the charges:
“The International Union of Police Associations (I.U.P.A.) Local 6020 is aware of the investigation surrounding multiple employees. Currently, we are not privy to all of the investigative facts. Regardless, employees and all citizens are entitled to and shall receive due process through the court system. The Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) is a large agency and contains approximately 5,500 employees. Many of these approximately 5,500 employees risk their lives daily and some unfortunately pay the ultimate sacrifice with the loss of their own lives in their effort protecting the community. The men and women all around BSO work tirelessly to keep the citizens of Broward County safe and are proud to come to work daily to protect and serve.”
Matt Cowart, president of IUPA Local 6020