# Scammers rake in 7 million from false Covid aid in Cleveland **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 17, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scammers-rake-in-7-million-from-false-covid-aid-in-cleveland/928211 "2020-12-17T00:13:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scammers-rake-in-7-million-from-false-covid-aid-in-cleveland/928211/1 "2020-12-17T00:13:18Z")
Three people identified so far. One small home registered 27 fake farm business early this year and applied for aid. He received 4.2 million dollars. There are others, 45 businesses in total: > **[Farms? Or fakes? $6.9 million in COVID-19 aid approved for agribusinesses...](https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/investigations/farms-or-fakes-6-9-million-in-covid-19-aid-approved-for-agribusinesses-registered-to-ohio-homes)** > > The U.S. Small Business Administration approved $6.9 million in Covid-19 relief aid for 45 Northeast Ohio agriculture businesses that only appear to exist on paper. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scammers-rake-in-7-million-from-false-covid-aid-in-cleveland/928211/2 "2020-12-17T00:26:07Z")
This actually belongs in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scammers-rake-in-7-million-from-false-covid-aid-in-cleveland/928211/3 "2020-12-17T02:02:48Z")
Did you report it for forum move? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scammers-rake-in-7-million-from-false-covid-aid-in-cleveland/928211/4 "2020-12-17T12:18:41Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > This actually belongs in the Pit. Given the lack of a Pit-style rant against the scammers, I’m going to assume that the OP intended it as a breaking news type of discussion. The OP can clarify if they intended otherwise. Feel free to start your own Pit thread if you’d like. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scammers-rake-in-7-million-from-false-covid-aid-in-cleveland/928211/5 "2020-12-17T16:33:38Z")
I’m not a pit type of guy. Anyway, this morning’s update now has 72 similar businesses linked. The guy’s lawyer stated that “some of the loans may have to be repaid”. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scammers-rake-in-7-million-from-false-covid-aid-in-cleveland/928211/6 "2020-12-17T20:14:29Z")
NBD; I just suggested it. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scammers-rake-in-7-million-from-false-covid-aid-in-cleveland/928211/7 "2020-12-17T20:58:32Z")
Ugh that sucks. I had heard a story on NPR where they interviewed business people who were having a tough time getting these loans. Granted, the linked story said this money was not the same as the PPP loans but still, a LOT of legit businesses are going to suffer - with cascading effects - because of these peoples’ greed.