United States of America v. Joff Stenn Wroy Philossaint

Miami, Florida criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with defrauding COVID-19 relief programs of millions of dollars and concealing his criminal conduct during the naturalization process.

Between April 2020 and May 2021, Joff Stenn Wroy Philossaint, 25, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief funds through companies he owned or controlled and by preparing loan applications for others in exchange for kickbacks. The applications contained materially false representations about the applicants’ revenues and payroll.

In total, Philossaint and his co-conspirators prepared and submitted 40 fraudulent loan applications, obtaining approximately $3.8 million in loan proceeds. Philossaint personally received approximately $549,000 through the scheme in the form of loan proceeds and kickbacks.

Before beginning the scheme, Philossaint applied for U.S. citizenship in February 2020. During a sworn naturalization interview on Dec. 15, 2020, Philossaint concealed his involvement in the fraud scheme and falsely denied committing crimes or making misrepresentations to obtain public benefits in the U.S. These false statements allowed Philossaint to unlawfully obtain U.S. citizenship on Feb. 9, 2021.

On Sept. 8, 2022, Philossaint was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of conspiracy to launder money, and unlawful procurement of citizenship. Philossaint later pleaded guilty to the three conspiracy charges, and a jury found him guilty of obtaining citizenship contrary to law.

On June 26, 2023, Philossaint was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison. On Feb. 23, the court granted a motion filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and entered an order revoking Philossaint’s U.S. citizenship.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Acting Special Agent in Charge, Jason Xerri , U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Eastern Region; Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.

SBA OIG, Investigations Division’s Eastern Region; USSS Miami; FBI Miami; IRS-CI, Florida Field Office; and HSI Miami investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Osborne and Shannon O’Shea Darsch prosecuted the case. fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief funds through companies he owned or controlled and by preparing loan applications for others in exchange for kickbacks. The applications contained materially false representations about the applicants’ revenues and payroll.

In total, Philossaint and his co-conspirators prepared and submitted 40 fraudulent loan applications, obtaining approximately $3.8 million in loan proceeds. Philossaint personally received approximately $549,000 through the scheme in the form of loan proceeds and kickbacks.

Before beginning the scheme, Philossaint applied for U.S. citizenship in February 2020. During a sworn naturalization interview on Dec. 15, 2020, Philossaint concealed his involvement in the fraud scheme and falsely denied committing crimes or making misrepresentations to obtain public benefits in the U.S. These false statements allowed Philossaint to unlawfully obtain U.S. citizenship on Feb. 9, 2021.

On Sept. 8, 2022, Philossaint was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of conspiracy to launder money, and unlawful procurement of citizenship. Philossaint later pleaded guilty to the three conspiracy charges, and a jury found him guilty of obtaining citizenship contrary to law.

On June 26, 2023, Philossaint was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison. On Feb. 23, the court granted a motion filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and entered an order revoking Philossaint’s U.S. citizenship.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Acting Special Agent in Charge, Jason Xerri , U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Eastern Region; Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.

SBA OIG, Investigations Division’s Eastern Region; USSS Miami; FBI Miami; IRS-CI, Florida Field Office; and HSI Miami investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Osborne and Shannon O’Shea Darsch prosecuted the case.

The Defendant was found guilty and was stripped of his U.S. Citizenship.