Hammond Man Sentenced To Imprisonment For Wire Fraud related to Covid-19 relief funds

HAMMOND-Jeffrey Boylett Jr, 40, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Jon DeGuilio following his guilty plea to wire fraud in connection with obtaining Covid-19 relief funds to which he was not entitled announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. 

Boylett was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and was ordered to pay $109,900 in restitution.   

According to documents filed in the case, in April of 2020, Boylett submitted a fraudulent application to the Small Business Administration (SBA) as part of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program that was enacted to assist small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Boylett’s application fraudulently claimed that he was the owner of a health service business that had five employees. Based on his application, the SBA provided him with $109,900 in the form of a grant and a forgivable loan.  Law Enforcement subsequently learned that Boylett fabricated the business in order to obtain money he was never qualified to receive.       

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath and former Assistant United States Attorney Molly Kelley.