WORCESTER – A local man pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday, November 16, in connection with his involvement in loan and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) fraud schemes.
William Candor, 26, of Leicester, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to federal prosecutors, between May and October 2020, Cordor engaged in a fraudulent unemployment scheme by attempting to file many claims for unemployment with the State of Nevada, without authority, using the personal information of others. Nevada’s unemployment system detected these claims as fraudulent and did not approve PUA funds for them.
In a second scheme, Cordor Cordor in wire fraud using stolen identities to file fraudulent applications for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA). Cordor used another individual’s personal identifying information to obtain a loan from the SBA under false pretenses, and then used the fraudulent funds to pay for items that include plane tickets, hotel accommodations, restaurants, entertainment and shopping during a Florida vacation.
Condor agreed to surrender $79,000 to federal authorities in May 2020. Those funds were proceeds from another unemployment fraud scheme in Massachusetts. Condor filed the fraudulent unemployment claim with Nevada in July 2020.
The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutively to other sentences imposed, and a fine of $250,000.
