A 31-year-old man from Dublin, Georgia, was sentenced to three years in prison after confessing to falsifying information to obtain a COVID-19 disaster relief loan.
Vinath Oudomsine received 36 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud for using most of the loan money to purchase a collectible Pokemon trading card, according to U.S. Attorney David H. Estes.
In addition to Oudomsine’s prison sentence, he has also been ordered to serve three years on supervised release, pay a fine of $10,000 and restitution of $85,000.
According to court records and testimony, during the summer of 2020, Oudomsine registered for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan through the Small Business Administration for an entertainment business, which he claimed had 10 employees and a revenue of $235,000 before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following Oudomsine’s application, the Small Business Association deposited $85,000 into his account.
Oudomsine later used $57,789 to buy a Pokemon trading card. As part of his prosecution, Oudomsine decided to forfeit the trading card.
“Congress appropriated funding to assist small businesses struggling through the challenges of a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Like moths to the flame, fraudsters like Oudomsine took advantage of these programs to line their own pockets – and with our law enforcement partners, we are holding him and others accountable for their greed.”
Earlier this year, a Georgia woman was sentenced to four years in prison for using false information to get $150,000 in COVID relief funds and spending part of the money on a Miami vacation.