Naples ex-con indicted for $2.6 million COVID fraud

A Naples man faces decades in federal prison after being indicted for allegedly defrauding the federal government and banks to get more than $2.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds.

Daniel Joseph Tisone, 34, has been indicted for committing wire fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and illegal monetary transactions as well possession of ammunition by an ex-convict. If convicted, prosecutors say he faces up to 30 years in federal prison for each of the four wire fraud and six bank counts, a two year minimum mandatory term for the two aggravated identity theft counts and up to 10 years for each of the five illegal monetary transactions and for the possession of ammunition count.

Prosecutors are also asking that he forfeit a 2019 Tiara 34LS boat, two properties located in Naples, a 4.02 carat solitaire engagement ring, more than $65,000 seized from two bank accounts and approximately $2.62 million traced to of the alleged offenses. 

Prosecutors allege Tisone, arrested in late March, submitted false loan applications to the U.S. SBA and approved lenders for Economic Injury Disaster Loan, Main Street Lending Program and Paycheck Protection Program loans.

These applications included “numerous false representations,” including his criminal history, average monthly payroll, number of employees and gross revenue. To back up the false assertions, he allegedly submitted fictitious payroll and tax documents and a fake commercial lease. He is also accused of using the identification of people reportedly working for the companies, including their names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers to submit false payroll and payroll tax paper.

In all, he was able to get $2.6 million, authorities contend. 

According to the criminal complaint signed by the FBI special agent in charge of the investigation, Tisone moved to Collier County around February 2018.

This was a little more than 10 years after being convicted in Nassau County, New York, in October 2007 of committing four felonies  — attempted robbery, 1st degree; assault, second degree; attempted robbery, second degree; and hindering prosecution — and more than six years after being convicted of another felony in Loudoun County, Virginia — possession of a schedule II controlled substance.

The reason the previous convictions are important is because his previous criminal record would have automatically disqualified him when applying for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan. The application, the federal agent writes in the complaint, specifically asks if the person has been convicted, plead nolo contendere, been placed on pretrial diversion or been placed on any form of probation.

Tisone answered no.

That was just one issue with the loan applications that were allegedly littered with misinformation and falsehoods.

According to the complaint, by the time of the move, he had incorporated five business in Delaware and Virginia — TEC Ventures LLC, Rub a Dub LLC, Rub a Dub Holdings Inc., Rub a Dub Atlantic LLC and Rub a Dub Marines LLC.

Tisone applied for, and received funds, for each business and the $2.5 million funds were deposited in bank accounts he controlled.