Alvin Bernard, a former officer with the Miami Gardens Police Department, has pleaded guilty in a federal court in the Southern District of Florida for falsifying information to fraudulently obtain $63,900 in pandemic relief funds, as announced by the Department of Justice.
The 38-year-old Miami Gardens resident, who was actively serving as a police officer, also managed Vanity Properties LLC. Under this business name, he applied for a loan through the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, established by the CARES Act to support businesses impacted by the pandemic.
Bernard's application falsely claimed that Vanity Properties had earned $127,881 in gross revenue in the year leading up to January 31, 2020. However, court documents revealed that the company did not generate such income.
As a result of this fraudulent information, the SBA approved and electronically transferred $63,900 to the company's bank account.
Applicants for the EIDL program were required to certify, under penalty of perjury, that the submitted data — including business income — was truthful and accurate.
Public Trust Breach and Legal Consequences
Federal prosecutor Jason A. Reding Quiñones was clear in his assessment: "Alvin Bernard was a sworn police officer committed to upholding the law, yet he lied to obtain federal relief funds meant for pandemic-stricken businesses. His guilty plea holds him accountable for abusing public trust and stealing from a taxpayer-funded program."
As part of his plea agreement, Bernard faces up to two years in federal prison. He also agreed to resign from the police force, surrender his Florida law enforcement certification, and permanently refrain from seeking recertification.
Fraud Investigation and Broader Implications
The investigation was a collaborative effort by the FBI Miami, the SBA Office of Inspector General for the Eastern Region, and the U.S. Secret Service's Miami Field Office.
This case adds to a series of convictions related to COVID-19 fund fraud in South Florida, particularly involving public officials and law enforcement officers, including employees from the Miami and Miami-Dade Police Departments.
The Southern District of Florida has been notably proactive in prosecuting such fraud cases, with the Department of Justice emphasizing the heightened scrutiny on public officials due to the trust abuse factor.
In July, a man from Coral Springs was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars fraudulently obtained from COVID-19 relief programs. The funds were used to finance the conspiracy that led to the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.
According to the investigation, Harricharan utilized funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, both established under the CARES Act to assist small businesses during the pandemic, to partially fund the plot against the Haitian leader.
Understanding COVID Relief Fraud in South Florida
What was Alvin Bernard accused of?
Alvin Bernard was accused of falsifying information to fraudulently secure $63,900 in COVID relief funds through the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
What are the potential penalties for Bernard?
Bernard could face a maximum of two years in federal prison and has agreed to resign from his police position and surrender his law enforcement certification in Florida.
How has the Southern District of Florida responded to COVID fund fraud?
The Southern District of Florida has been notably active in prosecuting fraud cases involving COVID relief funds, with a focus on public officials due to the breach of public trust.