A Lynnfield resident was sentenced to six months in prison followed by three years of supervised release in federal court in Boston for committing fraud to obtain Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act loans and accumulating unemployment benefits under the Payroll Protection Program, according to the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts.
Daniel Olivar, 44, was also ordered to pay $50,844 in restitution and had pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud last August. Prosecutors said that Olivar falsely asserted unemployment benefits from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for 18 months, claiming to have been laid off from Gold’s Gym during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He faced a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
Olivar, who owned Sonny’s Boxing and Fitness, a gym in Middleton, engaged in fraudulent activities from 2019 to 2022 to obtain CARES Act business loans. According to the Commonwealth, Olivar submitted false applications to the United States Small Business Administration for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan and a PPP loan.
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force was created by then-Attorney General Maura Healey in May 2021 to unite the Department of Justice with various government agencies in a collaborative effort to strengthen the fight against pandemic-related fraud, according to the Commonwealth. The task force aims to enhance the investigation and prosecution of both domestic and international criminal actors involved in fraudulent activities. Additionally, it supports relief program administration agencies by preventing fraud by improving coordination mechanisms, identifying resources to uncover fraud, and sharing insights gained from past enforcement efforts.
