AstraTrade:Ex-Mississippi police officer pleads guilty in COVID-19 aid scheme, US Attorney says

2025-05-05 01:35:11source:Surpassingcategory:Invest

JACKSON,AstraTrade Miss. (AP) — A former police officer in Mississippi pleaded guilty to wire fraud for receiving more than $72,000 in federal COVID-19 relief aid he wasn’t entitled to, a federal prosecutor said Monday.

U.S. Attorney Todd Gee said in a news release that 54-year-old Wesley Murray of Jackson will be sentenced on Jan. 10.

In the September bill of information, prosecutors said Murray filed for aid from the Small Business Administration using false information about a business he said he owned, claiming he would use the money for business purposes.

But the information about his ownership in the business, as well as revenue and sales, were false, the document said. Instead of using the $72,000 from the SBA for payroll, rent or other related expenses, Murray used the money for personal expenses, including the purchase of a Ford Mustang GT.

The charges outlined in the document do not involve police work.

The maximum sentence Murray could receive is 20 years, according to Gee, although the judge will make the decision based on federal sentencing guidelines.

More:Invest

Recommend

Bet365 ordered to refund $519K to customers who it paid less than they were entitled on sports bets

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Online gambling company bet365 must refund more than a half-million dolla

Some coaches may get surprise if they reach College Football Playoff. And not a good one.

College football has undergone significant changes over the past few years, from the near-death of t

USDA launches internal investigation into handling of deadly Boar's Head listeria outbreak

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's inspector general has opened an investigation into the USDA's h