Active-Duty Air Force Member Agrees To Pay Treble Damages To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating To Fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program Loan

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Eglin Air Force Base active-duty member, Lazarus Wallace, has agreed to settle allegations that he violated the False Claims Act (“FCA”) by knowingly providing false information in support of a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan. Wallace agreed to pay $63,327.54 in treble damages under the FCA. The settlement was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“Serving our nation as a member of the military is a position of honor, deserving of high esteem,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “The fraudulent acts of this individual are incompatible with such service. We remain committed to hold accountable all who abused this crisis-based loan system.” 

The United States contends that in March 2021, Wallace prepared and submitted fraudulent documents and a false and fraudulent application to obtain a PPP loan totaling $20,833, in the name of Beaming Detailing LLC. The loan was forgiven and paid by the United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”), plus interest of $277.18, for a total of $21,109.18. The United States contends that Wallace fraudulently obtained the PPP loan based on multiple false and fraudulent statements, to include the date Beaming Detailing LLC was established, the amount of Beaming Detailing LLC’s gross income, and the purpose of the loan.

This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Ann Couch and Marie Moyle from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, with assistance from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.