Tampa, FL – A Lakeland man, Jeanty Cherilus, 54, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for wire fraud, as ruled by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven. In addition to the prison term, Cherilus is required to forfeit $370,000, an amount equivalent to the proceeds from his fraudulent activities.
Cherilus, who pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025, was involved in a scheme to fraudulently secure federal loans. As the owner of Natransusa Corporation, a company claiming to offer automobile salvage and transportation services, Cherilus submitted false applications for the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).
The loan applications contained misleading information, such as exaggerated employee numbers and payroll figures, alongside false certifications that the loan funds would be used for legitimate business purposes. Cherilus also provided fraudulent documents to persuade the Small Business Administration and an approved lender to disburse the funds.
Once the PPP and EIDL funds were obtained, Cherilus misappropriated the money for personal use, violating the terms of the loans.
The investigation, conducted by the U.S. Agency for International Development-Office of Inspector General and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Task Force, uncovered the fraudulent loan scheme. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo prosecuted the case.
Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, Sean Bottary, emphasized the importance of holding accountable those who exploit federal assistance programs. The USAID OIG continues to work with the Department of Justice as part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Task Force to address such fraudulent activities.
Individuals with information on attempted COVID-19-related fraud can report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or through the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
