Pizzeria owner used $600K COVID funds to buy alpaca farm
Mamma mia.
A Massachusetts pizzeria owner accused of having obtained over $600,000 in coronavirus relief funds under false pretenses, allegedly used some of the money to buy an alpaca farm, according to a release Tuesday from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston.
Dana McIntyre, 57, of Grafton, Vt., has been charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, according to the release.
The former Rasta Pasta Pizzeria owner in April 2020 allegedly claimed to employ close to 50 workers at the Beverly, Mass., establishment and fraudulently increased his payroll expenses, to be approved for federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds, according to the release.
In reality, McIntyre paid fewer than 10 employees both before and after submitting the application for the loan, for which he also fudged an official tax form.
Upon receiving the hefty amount of money, the alleged scam artist sold the restaurant and used just about all the cash for personal expenses, which for some reason included buying a farm in Vermont, along with multiple alpacas, two vehicles, and weekly airtime for a cryptocurrency-themed radio program, according to the release.
If convicted for wire fraud, McIntyre faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine — or twice the gross gain or loss from the scam, whichever amounts to more.
If convicted for money laundering, he faces up to 20 years behind bars, three years of supervised release, a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the criminally derived property.
