Daniel Fleureme, 56, a former Corrections Officer with the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (MDCRD), has admitted to defrauding a COVID-19 relief program by securing an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) through false claims.
Fleureme pled guilty on October 31 to wire fraud charges in relation to the scheme, which involved misrepresentations to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
The fraudulent activity stemmed from an application submitted on July 27, 2020, while Fleureme was employed full-time at MDCRD. In the application, he falsely stated that he was the sole owner of a business operating under his name, claiming it was established on February 15, 2017, and employed three people as of January 31, 2020.
He further certified that the business had generated $450,000 in gross revenues and incurred $97,000 in costs during the previous year. These false assertions allowed Fleureme to obtain approximately $150,000 in EIDL proceeds from the SBA.
The EIDL program was part of the broader Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which aimed to support individuals and businesses affected by the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA directly administered these loans to assist businesses facing substantial financial disruptions.
Fleureme is scheduled for sentencing on January 7, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez in Miami. He could face up to 20 years in prison, with the final sentence being determined after the court reviews the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, Miami-Dade County Office of Inspector General (M-DC OIG) Inspector General Felix Jimenez, and SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Area Corruption Task Force, which includes officers from the M-DC OIG and worked in collaboration with the SBA OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm is leading the prosecution.
