Eighteen people are facing charges related to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, the Department of Justice announced.
Among the 18 is Jason Lawrence Geiger, a McKinney actor known for his role as the Red Power Ranger in the 1990s children’s show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Geiger, also known as Austin St. John, was indicted in Texas on a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to the indictment served on May 12 by a federal grand jury, Geiger, amongst 18 other defendants, is accused of executing a scheme to defraud lenders and the Small Business Administration’s (SBA’s) Paycheck Protection Program. The scheme allegedly netted the defendants at least $3.5 million through 16 fraudulent loans.
The other defendants include:
Andrew Charles Moran, 43; Michael Lewayne Hill, 47; Arthur Atik Pongtaratik, 33; Elmer Omar Ayala, 45; Christopher Lee McElfresh, 43; Rajaa Bensellam, 49; Eric Reed Marascio, 50; Gregory Fitzgerald Hatley Jr., 38; Cord Dean Newman, 44; Peter Keovongphet, 34; Fabian C. Hernandez, 44; Alexander Eric Cortesano, 52; Hadi Mohammed Taffal, 50; Ty Alan Burkhart, 34; Jonathon James Spencer, 33; Miles Justin Urias, 34; Daniel Lee Warren, 33.
Court records claim that Hill and Moran led the defendants to submit fraudulent applications for PPP funding using existing businesses or newly created ones.
According to the indictment, Moran allegedly fabricated supporting documentation for the loans. The defendants reportedly misrepresented key information such as the nature of their business, the amount of payroll, and the number of employees.
“Based on these material misrepresentations, the SBA and other financial institutions approved and issued loans to the defendants,” said the Department of Justice.
According to federal investigators’ allegations, the defendants did not use the loans as intended and instead transferred the money to their personal accounts after paying Hill and Moran. They then used the funds for various personal purchases.
Some defendants reportedly sent the funds to Spencer for investment in foreign exchange markets.
Investigators did not state how much money each defendant obtained in the alleged fraudulent scheme.
If convicted of the charges, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
According to Daily Mail Online, Geiger’s lawyer said the actor has pleaded not guilty to the single charge brought against him, and he plans to “vigorously defend himself against this allegation.”
The investigation is being jointly conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations division.