A Miami-Dade County employee tried a $160,000 COVID-19 relief fraud. Here’s what happened

Miami-Dade County network manager Willie Curry didn’t lose any salary during the COVID-19 pandemic. Facts didn’t keep Curry from applying to the Small Business Association for a COVID-19 relief loan and persistently trying to get financial institutions to accept the $160,000 sent by the SBA.

Curry’s attempt will cost him a six-month slice of life in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release, the first six months of that on home confinement. That’s the sentence Curry, 58, received Wednesday from U.S. District Court Judge James King. Curry pleaded guilty to wire fraud in September.

“In determining the sentence, Senior Judge King took into consideration Curry’s seven years of honorable service in the United States Army,” the U.S. Justice Department said.

Long the nation’s leader in Medicare fraud, South Florida showed its white collar crime diversity by being No. 1 in COVID-19 relief fraud. No U.S. District Attorney Office has charged more people in COVID-19 relief fraud than South Florida’s 60. Those 60 people charged account for $80 million in loan requests.

Curry, computers and what COVID-19 didn’t cost him

As for Curry, his company, Will Curry Computers, does exist. But in his Coronavirus Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) application, he claimed it was established in 2015, had 10 employees, annual gross revenues in June 2020 of $755,416 and that his goods sold cost about $170,664.

Actually, Curry’s guilty plea admitted, he established the company in 2020 and he was the only employee. Dade County Federal Credit Union rejected the SBA’s attempts to wire $10,000, then $150,000 to Curry’s account there. Curry tried to get the money wired to his Bank of America account and the SBA refused.

In 1994, Curry pleaded guilty in Broward County to “unlawful compensation” — it falls under the “bribery; misuse of public office” part of Florida law — and got one-year probation and was ordered to pay $13,000 restitution.

This story was originally published November 21, 2021 at 11:31 AM.

David J. Neal

Miami Herald

305-376-3559

Since 1989, David J. Neal’s domain at the Miami Herald has expanded to include writing about Panthers (NHL and FIU), Dolphins, old school animation, food safety, fraud, naughty lawyers, bad doctors and all manner of breaking news. He drinks coladas whole. He does not work Indianapolis 500 Race Day.