ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Sterling businessman with wire fraud involving Covid-19 relief funds.
According to court documents, Kent Tompkins, 55, made false statements about his criminal history on Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications for his business, J & B Construction. In 2018, the defendant was indicted on multiple felony grand theft charges in South Dakota and was convicted in August 2020.
During the alleged scheme, Tompkins applied for two EIDL loans in May 2020 and November 2021. On both applications, which were submitted after he had been indicted and arraigned in South Dakota, Tompkins falsely stated that he had not been presently or recently subject to an indictment or arraignment for formal criminal charges. On the second application, Tompkins also provided false information about his prior conviction and probation.
Tompkins allegedly obtained over $95,000 in relief funds through the first loan application and attempted to obtain $276,500 through the second loan application.
Tompkins is charged with wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1343. He made his initial court appearance on April 17 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Smith of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across the government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the Small Business Association Office of Inspector General Western Regional Office, and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement regarding Tompkins indictment.
The Small Business Association Office of Inspector General and FBI Anchorage Field Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.