Columbus man pleads guilty to defrauding COVID-19 relief programs

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Sonny Madumelu, 70, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to committing COVID-19 relief fraud.

Specifically, Madumelu pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering.

Madumelu admitted to submitting at least seven false applications for COVID-19 relief loans between June 2020 and September 2021. He filed for at least two Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and at least five Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. In total, the defendant sought approximately $405,000 in government aid and received more than $250,000.

Court documents detail that Madumelu used the business names Uncle Sonny Traveling and Shipping, Uncle Sonny Traveling + Shipping LTD, Sonny Star Cleaners and Transworld Travel & Transportation to submit fraudulent applications. He claimed to be a shipping agent who brokered the shipment of shipping containers and that he had a cleaning business to clean offices. In reality, he did not operate such businesses and used fictitious financial figures in his applications.

Wire fraud and money laundering are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.

Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the guilty plea entered on June 11 before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. The case was investigated by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ("Fraud Division"). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

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