A Florida man has been sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison for stealing more than US$2.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
Daniel Joseph Tisone, 35, of Naples, was sentenced Tuesday in Fort Myers federal court, court documents show. He pleaded guilty last August to wire fraud, bank fraud, illegal monetary transaction and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
"Daniel Joseph Tisone seriously abused three federal programs that used taxpayers' money to aid struggling small businesses through the pandemic," Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery Brian Miller said in a statement. "SIGPR is glad to have played a significant role teaming with other law enforcement agencies and the United States Attorney's Office to hold Mr. Tisone accountable."
Tisone submitted false and fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration and banks seeking several different kinds of loans between March 2020 and April 2021, according to the documents. Prosecutors said the applications contained false information about Tisone's criminal history, average monthly payroll, number of employees and gross revenues. Tisone also submitted false payroll and tax documents, as well as a fake commercial lease, investigators said.
Tisone received one Main Street Lending Program loan, four Economic Injury Disaster Loans and five Paycheck Protection Program loans, totaling more than US$2.6 million, authorities said. He allegedly used the money to buy two homes in Naples, stocks and investment securities, a 2019 Tiara 34LS boat, a 4.02-carat engagement ring and ammunition. As part of his plea agreement, Tisone must pay back the money and forfeit the homes, boat and ring.
The Paycheck Protection Program involves billions of dollars in forgivable small-business loans for Americans struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The money must be used to pay employees, mortgage interest, rent and utilities. It is part of the coronavirus relief package that became federal law in 2020.
The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is designed to provide economic relief to small businesses that are experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. The Main Street Lending Program was designed to provide support to small and medium-size businesses and their employees across the United States during the pandemic.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. say they have agreed to pay $500-million to settle a class-action lawsuit regarding their involvement in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme.
An IJF and CTV News investigation has found dozens of cases across Canada where multiple money services businesses (MSBs) are incorporated at the same address, sometimes without the knowledge or consent of the location's actual occupant. One money laundering expert calls it an 'abuse of the system.'
A British police officer was suspended from all duties Thursday after a video was posted on social media that appeared to show an officer kicking and stamping on the head of a man lying on the floor of a terminal at Manchester Airport.
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
More than 25,000 people have been displaced from Jasper National Park since wildfires started to threaten the picturesque corner of Alberta Rockies on Monday, but the mayor of its namesake municipality says not everyone received an evacuation alert when it was sent out.
A funeral director in St. John's says the bodies piling up in freezers at Newfoundland and Labrador's largest hospital likely belong to people whose loved ones couldn't get enough government help to pay for a funeral.
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
A funeral director in St. John's says the bodies piling up in freezers at Newfoundland and Labrador's largest hospital likely belong to people whose loved ones couldn't get enough government help to pay for a funeral.
An IJF and CTV News investigation has found dozens of cases across Canada where multiple money services businesses (MSBs) are incorporated at the same address, sometimes without the knowledge or consent of the location's actual occupant. One money laundering expert calls it an 'abuse of the system.'
Vancouver city council has voted to allow natural gas for heating and hot water in new construction.
T.J. Walkem, along with more than 80 of his cows, has spent the last few days desperately trying to evade the out-of-control Shetland Creek wildfire.
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Taiwan has seen flooding in low-lying areas, along with landslides and damage to homes and shops after Typhoon Gaemi made landfall on the island.
Two more state troopers, who testified in the Karen Read murder trial over the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, are now facing an internal affairs investigation, the Massachusetts State Police said Wednesday.
At least six workers have died in an explosion and fire at a tequila factory in Mexico, local authorities said.
A British police officer was suspended from all duties Thursday after a video was posted on social media that appeared to show an officer kicking and stamping on the head of a man lying on the floor of a terminal at Manchester Airport.
An explosion ripped through the Russian-controlled Olenivka prison barracks two years ago, killing more than 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war and leaving dozens injured.
Canada's Consul General in New York will have to explain the government's decision to buy a $9 million condo in Manhattan's famous 'Billionaires' Row,' to a parliamentary committee.
The federal government has reached a $147-million settlement with a First Nation in British Columbia over a dispute about water rights that dates back to the late 1800s.
The ethics commissioner says the former chair of a foundation responsible for doling out federal funds for sustainable technology projects failed to recuse herself from decisions that benefited organizations to which she had ties.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is now recommending one dose of HPV vaccine for children and youth between nine and 20 years old.
Patients who went to Mission Memorial Hospital's emergency department on Tuesday evening were told to go to Abbotsford General or Maple Ridge hospitals, the first time a Vancouver-area acute care facility has turned away patients due to critical staffing shortages.
Noor Ayesha from Kitchener Ont., is battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer while pushing the province to fund an expensive drug, which could extend her life.
Meta says it has taken down about 63,000 Facebook accounts in Nigeria that were engaging in financial sextortion scams — along with groups and pages that were trying to organize, recruit and train new scammers.
CrowdStrike is blaming a bug in an update that allowed its cybersecurity systems to push bad data out to millions of customer computers, setting off last week's global tech outage that grounded flights, took TV broadcasts off air and disrupted banks, hospitals and retailers.
Sharks living off the coast of Brazil have tested positive for cocaine, according to new research, the first time that the drug has been detected in free-ranging sharks.
Comic-Con International, the comic book and pop culture extravaganza, is kicking off in San Diego. The convention, which draws over 130,000 fans annually, opens for a preview night Wednesday and runs through Sunday.
Celine Dion's presence in Paris a few days ahead of the Olympic Games opening ceremony is 'not a coincidence,' the French government says.
If there’s one emotion that Disney and Pixar are probably feeling right now, it’s joy. That’s after movie sequel 'Inside Out 2' became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, raking in US$1.46 billion at the global box office and dethroning former record holder 'Frozen 2' from 2019, according to Disney on Wednesday.
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. say they have agreed to pay $500-million to settle a class-action lawsuit regarding their involvement in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme.
The cost of a new house was slightly cheaper in June compared to May, according to Statistics Canada. Prices dropped 0.2 per cent month-over-month, which is the first time in 2024 that new houses have sold for cheaper than the month prior.
A Federal Court decision has put a pause on enforcement of Canadian Food Inspection Agency guidelines for the ritual slaughter of animals.
The party of the century was held Tuesday in Wilmot, N.S., as the community gathered to celebrate the 100th birthday of Tom Franklin.
There are some laws in popular tourist destinations around the world that could land Canadian travellers in mild-to-serious trouble if they're not careful. Don't let these local laws land you in hot water during your next vacation abroad.
One of Oscar Mayer's hot dog-shaped Wienermobiles ended up flipped onto its side after crashing on a suburban Chicago highway, police said.
Decorated sprinter Andre De Grasse and Olympic weightlifting champion Maude Charron will carry Canada's flag into the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Friday.
Canadian Olympians were given a hero’s send-off at Toronto's Pearson Airport as they departed for the Paris Games on Wednesday night.
Israel's national anthem was loudly jeered before its soccer team kicked off play at the Paris Olympics against Mali on Wednesday night.
A woman in Waterloo, Ont. is out thousands of dollars for a car crash she wasn’t involved in.
Whether it's for parking, speeding or running a red light, no one likes being issued a traffic ticket, but it’s important to be careful how you pay them.
One of Oscar Mayer's hot dog-shaped Wienermobiles ended up flipped onto its side after crashing on a suburban Chicago highway, police said.
A local First Nations elder and veteran is helping to bring the Ojibwe language to a well-known film for the first time.
A cat who fled her Montreal home nearly a decade ago has been reunited with her family after being found in Ottawa.
A woman in Waterloo, Ont. is out thousands of dollars for a car crash she wasn’t involved in.
A swarm of bees living in a lamppost in Winnipeg’s Sage Creek neighbourhood has found a new home for its hive.
Around 100 acres of Manitoba Crown Land near the Saskatchewan border is being returned to the Métis community.
Nova Scotia is suspending the licensed Cape Breton moose hunt for three years due to what the province is calling a “significant drop” in the population.
A well-known childhood prank known as 'nicky nicky nine doors,' or 'ding dong ditch,' has escalated into a more serious game that could lead to charges for some Surrey, B.C. teens.
It's been more than a month since their good friend was seriously hurt in an accident and two teens from Riverview, N.B., are still having a hard time dealing with it.
Halifax bridges have collected thousands of coins from around the world.
Vancouver city council has voted to allow natural gas for heating and hot water in new construction.
T.J. Walkem, along with more than 80 of his cows, has spent the last few days desperately trying to evade the out-of-control Shetland Creek wildfire.
Environment Canada has recorded a whopping 80,007 lightning flashes in British Columbia from Sunday through Tuesday, and the count continues on Wednesday for what could be a record-breaking stretch.
Two women from the Toronto area are speaking out after losing thousands of dollars to a romance scam, including a single mother who lost $62,000.
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. say they have agreed to pay $500-million to settle a class-action lawsuit regarding their involvement in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme.
The day after the doors of the Ontario Science Centre closed to the public on the grounds that its roof was failing and unsafe, the centre’s management made an exception to allow a wedding and reception on its grounds.
One of two wildfires threatening Jasper National Park reached the townsite Wednesday night and caused 'significant loss.'
A new fire was reported to be burning in Banff National Park late Wednesday afternoon.
A man from Alberta was gunned down in southern Israel on Monday, near the Gaza border while he was armed with a knife.
Western University's Northern Tornadoes Project says a tornado touched down near Perth, Ont. Wednesday night, as a series of severe storms moved across eastern Ontario.
Ottawa police are noting a developing trend in the types of vehicles that are being targeted by thieves in the capital.
Ottawa will receive a break from the rain this weekend, after another storm soaked the capital with heavy rain. The forecast calls for a mainly cloudy day with a 30 per cent chance of showers this afternoon, before sunshine on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
A possible tornado overturned a truck and uprooted several trees in Brossard, on Montreal's South Shore.
Maude Charron will carry the Canadian flag during Friday's Olympic opening ceremony in Paris. The athlete from Rimouski will also be defending her Olympic gold medal in weightlifting.
Montreal police are investigating after electronic message boards at two road construction sites in Montreal displayed pro-Palestinian political slogans Wednesday morning instead of usual traffic alerts.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
One of two raging, wind-whipped fires menacing Jasper, Alta., roared into town Wednesday night and began burning buildings.
More than 25,000 people have been displaced from Jasper National Park since wildfires started to threaten the picturesque corner of Alberta Rockies on Monday, but the mayor of its namesake municipality says not everyone received an evacuation alert when it was sent out.
Showers along with a risk of thunderstorms will return to the Maritimes on Thursday as a cold front approaches from the west.
Two people are facing drug smuggling-related charges after border officers seized 140 pounds of suspected cannabis at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport on Monday.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
A saving grace for a dwindling Winnipeg church has come in the form of Winnipeg Jets owner Mark Chipman and Juno-award-winning folk duo The Brothers Landreth.
The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) is executing a search warrant at a North End property on Wednesday to look for evidence linked to a missing person case from 2021.
An elementary school in Thompson, Man., has gone up in flames on Wednesday.
A Saskatchewan-born veteran of the Second World War was recently presented with France's highest national order.
Drivers passing through Moose Jaw can expect some delays following a crash near Highway 1.
Residents in Regina and Moose Jaw will soon have better tasting water.
A police constable in Guelph, Ont. pleaded guilty Wednesday to discreditable conduct – for a second time.
A Cambridge woman explains why she blames the GRCA for a flood that damaged her home and forced her family to flee in a canoe.
The Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) is searching for a 16-year-old they say escaped a security custody facility in Wilmot Township.
Prince Albert is grieving the loss of one of its most beloved neighbours and community champions.
As people get out and enjoy the many lakes in our province this summer, those who take care of the waterways are warning about dangerous invasive species that’s a growing threat in Saskatchewan.
A Saskatchewan-born veteran of the Second World War was recently presented with France's highest national order.
A 48-year-old from a community near North Bay has been charged following a collision involving an ATV towing a boat.
A family dispute erupted in Elliot Lake on Tuesday afternoon, ending with a damaged vehicle in a driveway and impaired driving charges.
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Hundreds gathered Wednesday evening to pay tribute to a young life cut short. Breanna Broadfoot was remembered in a touching candle-light vigil.
The incident happened at Canatara Park in July 23 — offices said the found the suspect fleeing the scene and had to do a high-risk vehicle stop on Wellington Street.
London police have seized multiple firearms, and ammunition following the arrest of a wanted man in the east end of the city in early July.
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Barrie police are using a utility vehicle along the city's waterfront this summer to help officers get to challenging locations and increase their presence throughout the busy area.
The Bank of Canada lowered its key interest rate to 4.5 per cent, as those looking to renew or buy a mortgage watched closely.
The residents of Spago Crescent in South Windsor are open to change.
South Essex Fabricating Inc. in Leamington was handed a $65,000 fine following the critical injury of a worker.
Windsor Fire Captain Laz Sofikitis said it’s rare to see a happy ending when they’re told someone is trapped inside a burning building – but there was one Wednesday.
Police on Vancouver Island are investigating three sexual assaults by strangers that were reported in the past week, though there is no indication the attacks are connected.
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.
A wildfire burning out of control on Vancouver Island continued to spread Wednesday as the provincial wildfire service assigned more resources to try to contain the blaze.
A Kamloops Mountie has been charged with assault and mischief in connection to an incident that occurred last summer, Crown prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Two people are dead after a serious crash that shut down Highway 1 near Sorrento, B.C. Saturday morning.
The number of wildfires in British Columbia has flared as more lightning storms bring the potential for further fire starts.
Lethbridge has been no stranger to extreme heat over the last couple weeks.
To break down barriers, an adaptive water skiing clinic was held for those with mental and physical disabilities on Tuesday evening...
In a heated courtroom exchange, a man accused of conspiring to murder police at the 2022 Coutts, Alta., blockade rejected accusations he and others brought weapons and body armour to the barricade to start a war.
A family dispute erupted in Elliot Lake on Tuesday afternoon, ending with a damaged vehicle in a driveway and impaired driving charges.
Responding to a call for help from B.C., Ontario sent 100 fire rangers Monday to help battle hundreds of out-of-control wildfires burning on the West Coast.
If you have summer plans to board a ferry to Manitoulin or Pelee Island, you may want to check to see if there are any safety recalls on your vehicle as some are not allowed this year.
A funeral director in St. John's says the bodies piling up in freezers at Newfoundland and Labrador's largest hospital likely belong to people whose loved ones couldn't get enough government help to pay for a funeral.
The owner of a refinery in Newfoundland has been charged with health and safety violations for a flash explosion at the plant in 2022 that killed a worker and injured seven others.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has sent investigators to Newfoundland to determine what caused a fire aboard a fishing boat that forced the crew to abandon the vessel for a life-raft, leaving them at the mercy of the waves for two days.
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