TAMPA, Fla. — A federal jury found a 69-year-old Belleair man guilty after the prosecution said he used his deceased former business partner’s identity in a COVID loan fraud scheme.
The USAO said based on evidence, Stephen L. Gurba submitted false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications and supporting documentation on behalf of Big Red Express Trucking, LLC and Zenith Express, LLC between March 2020 and June 2020.
USAO said Gurba then used the PPP loans at casinos, and as a result of Gurba’s false statement, a financial institution approved and funded a $955,448.75 PPP loan to Big Red.
Gurba took on the identity of his former business partner, who passed away in 2019, using his name, signature, and other forms of identification on the EIDL loan applications, per the USAO release.
The jury found Gruba guilty of two counts of wire fraud, one count of making a false statement to a financial institution and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
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