Cheshire Man Who Defrauded Pandemic Relief Program is Sentenced

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TONY STERLIN CANTAVE, 46, of Cheshire, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to three months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for defrauding a COVID-19 pandemic relief program.

In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ("CARES") Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the distribution of Economic Injury Disaster Loans ("EIDLs"), through the U.S. Small Business Administration ("SBA"), which provided working capital to eligible small businesses to meet operating expenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2020, Cantave applied for EIDL funding through the SBA. The application contained several materially false statements, including that the business for which Cantave sought the loan, Arbitrage 1 Media, was an ongoing, legitimate business involved in the limousine and transportation business, and that he was not more than 60 days delinquent in his child support obligations. After the SBA reviewed and approved the fraudulent EIDL application, Cantave received $96,200. He then used the proceeds from the loan to pay for personal and non-business expenses, including $16,607.26 to pay off an automobile loan.

Judge Bolden ordered Cantave to pay $109,605.21 in restitution.

On June 24, 2025, Cantave pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money and one count of making an illegal monetary transaction.

Cantave, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on July 15.

This is Cantave's third federal conviction. In December 1999, he was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 18 months of imprisonment for a firearm offense, and in February 2015, he was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 13 months of imprisonment for his participation in a U.S. Postal Service money order fraud scheme.

This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ("Fraud Division"). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.