Seattle Area Man Sentenced For Fraudulent COVID-19 Relief Claims

SEATTLE (AP) – A suburban Seattle man who submitted nine fraudulent disaster loan applications in an effort to obtain over $1.1 million in federal COVID-19 relief dollars has been sentenced to two years in prison.

The Seattle Times reports Austin Hsu of Issaquah pleaded guilty in January to a count of wire fraud.

Federal prosecutors say he was the owner and CEO of a company doing business as chiropractic practice Back 2 Health Bellevue and that he received funds from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Program.

U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutors say he also used the names of current and former employees to apply for loans.

Prosecutors say he fraudulently obtained over $700,000 in COVID-19 relief funds.

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