A Fort Lauderdale resident has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a complex scheme that defrauded federal COVID relief and unemployment programs of more than $1 million. Conrad Brandon Bernard, 24, admitted to bank fraud and identity theft in a case that highlights the vulnerabilities of government assistance programs during the pandemic. Bernard’s guilty plea, announced on Nov. 15 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, could result in a prison sentence exceeding 30 years.
Authorities allege that Bernard’s operation spanned nearly two years, from May 2020 to December 2022, during which he used stolen identities to siphon funds from both the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and unemployment systems in multiple states. Investigators say he set up bank accounts using the personal information of at least 14 individuals, funneling federal relief funds into his own accounts. The U.S. Small Business Administration reportedly approved multiple fraudulent applications he filed under the EIDL program.
The scope of Bernard’s fraud extended beyond federal loans. Prosecutors allege that he accessed unemployment benefits from states like West Virginia and Arizona, transferring the funds into his personal accounts without the knowledge or consent of the individuals whose identities he exploited. By the end of his scheme, Bernard had defrauded the government of $1,083,340, according to court records.
A subsequent investigation uncovered a trove of fake identification documents, including passports and Florida driver’s licenses, as well as the personal data—names, birth dates, and social security numbers—of thousands of individuals. The findings have raised questions about the adequacy of safeguards in pandemic-era relief programs, as well as the broader challenges of preventing identity theft on this scale.
Bernard is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2025. The bank fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years, with an additional mandatory two years for aggravated identity theft. The case underscores the federal government’s ongoing efforts to hold accountable those who exploited relief programs during a period of national crisis.
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