Ex-BSO Deputy Among 17 Charged, Convicted in Pandemic Aid Fraud

A former Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) deputy has been found guilty of wire fraud in a case involving the theft of pandemic relief funds, marking the first conviction at trial among 17 agency employees charged. The conviction was the result of investigations into fraudulent activities that targeted COVID-19 loan programs, with the accused individuals seeking to exploit financial aid meant for those impacted by the pandemic. In a related case, an ex-BSO lieutenant admitted guilt in a scheme to embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars from the same program. Additionally, the leader of a fraud ring aiming to misappropriate over $6.8 million in pandemic benefits was sentenced in Seattle, highlighting the widespread issue of pandemic aid fraud across the United States.