Four Georgia men sentenced in $17.5 million COVID relief fraud scheme uncovered during Operation Sweet Silence
Four Georgia men have been sentenced to federal prison after admitting to participating in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that exploited COVID-19 relief programs intended to help struggling businesses and workers during the pandemic. The investigation originated from Operation Sweet Silence, the large-scale organized crime investigation that targeted gang activity in Columbus.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, the defendants fraudulently claimed pandemic tax credits and recruited others into the scheme, resulting in nearly $17.5 million in attempted and actual losses to federal taxpayers.
U.S. District Judge Clay Land sentenced the four men on Aug. 5. Federal officials noted there is no parole in the federal prison system.
“Stopping fraud and protecting taxpayer resources is a central mission for this office and DOJ,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This multimillion-dollar pandemic fraud was uncovered during Operation Sweet Silence, a coordinated law enforcement effort that dismantled a major criminal gang in Columbus. With our law enforcement partners, we will pursue every lead wherever it goes to ensure justice and safeguard the public.”
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham said the defendants attempted to steal money from programs created to help Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This scheme attempted to steal nearly $17.5 million from programs meant to help struggling workers and small businesses survive the pandemic—not bankroll luxury purchases and personal gain,” Graham said. “The FBI will aggressively pursue anyone who exploits national emergencies for profit.”
IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman said the defendants diverted relief funds that were intended to help employers keep workers on payroll.
Sentences Handed Down
The following defendants were sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of mail fraud:
Christopher Upshaw, also known as “Troub,” 26, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $411,112.21 in restitution.
Johnathon Swift, also known as “JB” and “John Boy,” 34, received 63 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $417,095.56 in restitution.
Dontavis Williams, also known as “Turk,” 41, was sentenced to 115 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $156,531.74 in restitution.
Donterious Sparks, 37, was sentenced to 41 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $311,072.55 in restitution.
Investigation Began During Operation Sweet Silence
Federal investigators said the fraud case was uncovered while law enforcement was conducting Operation Sweet Silence, a major organized crime investigation in Columbus.
According to court documents, investigators first noticed unusually large IRS deposits into the bank accounts of Columbus resident Tommie Mullins. Around the same time, court-authorized wiretaps allegedly captured Mullins discussing taking a 20 percent cut from a fraudulent Employee Retention Credit (ERC) scheme.
That information prompted federal investigators and IRS agents to launch a separate investigation into pandemic tax fraud.
How the Scheme Worked
Prosecutors said Upshaw registered DOPE! Apparel, LLC with the Georgia Secretary of State in June 2022 before filing five fraudulent employment tax returns in April 2023 claiming Employee Retention Credits and other COVID-related tax benefits intended for businesses that kept employees on payroll or provided paid COVID leave.
The IRS ultimately issued five refund checks totaling $411,112.21 to the business.
Investigators later determined Upshaw had no W-2 filings between 2019 and 2023, had not filed several required tax returns, and there was no evidence that DOPE! Apparel employed workers or paid the wages claimed on the fraudulent returns. Authorities said some of the stolen money was used to purchase a luxury vehicle.
Federal prosecutors said Swift, Williams and Sparks used similar methods, creating LLCs and filing false employment tax returns claiming pandemic tax credits they were not entitled to receive.
Together, the four defendants received 16 refund checks totaling $1,295,812.06, while the attempted loss directly tied to their filings exceeded $2.25 million.
Investigators said the defendants also expanded the fraud by recruiting others to participate. In exchange for a percentage of the refunds, they allegedly filed fraudulent tax returns for additional individuals, helped establish LLCs and obtain Employer Identification Numbers (EINs), and submitted more than 150 fraudulent Form 941 employment tax returns.
Authorities said those filings resulted in an additional $15.24 million in attempted and actual losses, bringing the total financial impact of the scheme to $17,489,749.80.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation led the investigation. The case was prosecuted following the Department of Justice’s creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which focuses on investigating and prosecuting fraud involving federal benefit programs.
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