Miami Influencer Sentenced to More than 2 Years in Prison for COVID Relief Loan Fraud and Fake Check Scheme

MIAMI – A popular social media influencer and singer has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for orchestrating a years-long fraud scheme that began with COVID-19 relief loan fraud and ended with attempts to use fake checks to pay for luxury cars.

On Sept. 11, U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore sentenced Scott Lee Huss, 28, to 27 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

“Pandemic relief programs were designed to help struggling businesses and families—not to fund luxury lifestyles,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Those who exploited these programs for their personal gain stole from the American people. Our Office will continue holding anyone accountable who defrauded COVID-19 relief funds, regardless of status or notoriety.”

According to court documents, Huss fraudulently applied for and received six Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling more than $600,000. Instead of using the funds for business expenses and employee payroll, Huss spent the money on cryptocurrency and luxury cars.

In 2023, Huss mailed fraudulent “payment vouchers” purporting to be checks to car finance companies in an effort to discharge loans on his vehicles. In total, Huss sent more than $300,000 in false checks in an attempt to fraudulently obtain a Lamborghini and a Mercedes-Benz.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of the Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Miami, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan McSeveney of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

HSI Miami and DSS Miami Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, the Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General, the Sunny Isles Police Department, and the Aventura Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosenfeld and Senior Litigation Counsel Michael Berger prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20087.

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