Buffalo man pleads guilty to COVID fraud

BUFFALO, N.Y. -U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jamar Jackson, 43, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.

According to the plea agreement, on June 29 2020, Jackson and his co-conspirators submitted a fraudulent application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) through the Small Business Administration for a business that he supposedly owned. The defendant and his co-conspirators knew that the EIDL application contained materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises. The application falsely stated that Jackson was the sole proprietor of a lawn and garden business that had eight employees and $142,000 in revenue for the 12 months prior to the COVID pandemic. Jackson did not own a lawn and garden business, did not have employees and did not earn revenue. As a result, the SBA disbursed $70,900.00 in EIDL funds to Jackson.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 31, 2026, before Judge Vilardo.

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