The United States Attorney’s Office in the District of South Carolina reports a Charleston, S.C. man created a fake lawn care company to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) out of an Emergency Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds.

Antonio Brown-Sanders, 26, pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding the SBA. Evidence presented in court showed Brown-Sanders applied to the SBA to receive an EIDL loan that fraudulently represented he owned a lawn care business. The application submitted by Brown-Sanders also falsely represented the number of employees and gross revenues for the fraudulent lawn care business. The total amount lent to Brown-Sanders by the SBA was $81,600.

Brown-Sanders is subject to a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. U.S.  District Judge Richard Gergel will review the sentencing report.