Miami man gets 6 years after spending COVID-19 relief funds on jewelry, luxury cars

MIAMI – A South Florida man was handed nearly a six-year federal prison sentence on Tuesday after authorities say he orchestrated a fraudulent scheme to acquire COVID-19 relief loans and grants.

The scheme included those receiving loans and grants from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Relief Program (EIDL), and the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant (SVOG).

Court records reveal that Andre Lorquet, 39, of Miami, submitted fraudulent applications, and received over $4.7 million in relief funds by falsifying revenue and payroll information and submitting fraudulent IRS tax forms.

The scheme resulted in Lorquet obtaining approximately $4.4 million in COVID-relief funds, which he utilized to purchase extravagant items such as two Tesla S models, a Lamborghini Urus, a Porsche Panamera GTS, a diamond Audemars Piguet watch, a rose gold and diamond pendant featuring his company’s logo, a half-kilogram gold chain adorned with 70 carats of diamonds and a 1-kilogram gold chain, according to the Department of Justice news release.

Having pleaded guilty to money laundering, Lorquet faced sentencing before U.S. District Judge Michael K. Moore.