Influencer Scott Lee Huss Sentenced to 27 Months for $600K COVID-19 Loan Fraud

Influencer Scott Lee Huss gets 27 months for a $600K+ COVID-19 relief fraud and fake check scheme.
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A close-up of the stone facade of the Department of Justice building in Washington D.C. By mark reinstein / Shutterstock.com.

Executive Summary

  • Social media influencer Scott Lee Huss was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for a multi-year fraud scheme.
  • Huss fraudulently obtained over $600,000 in COVID-19 relief loans and attempted to use more than $300,000 in fake checks to pay for luxury vehicles.
  • He pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges, with authorities emphasizing their commitment to prosecuting those who defrauded pandemic relief programs.
  • Laws and Precedent

  • The defendant was sentenced to federal prison for wire fraud, a federal offense typically prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, after fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. This case underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to prosecuting individuals who defrauded federal COVID-19 relief programs and attempted further financial fraud using fake checks.
  • Miami-based social media influencer and singer Scott Lee Huss, 28, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for a multi-year fraud scheme. The elaborate scheme involved fraudulently obtaining over $600,000 in COVID-19 relief loans and subsequently attempting to use more than $300,000 in fake checks to pay for luxury vehicles. U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore handed down the sentence on September 11, following Huss’s guilty plea to wire fraud charges.

    Details of the Fraud Scheme

    According to court documents, Huss fraudulently applied for and received six Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, totaling more than $600,000. These federal funds, which were intended for legitimate business expenses and employee payroll during the pandemic, were instead diverted by Huss for personal enrichment. Investigations revealed he spent the money on cryptocurrency and luxury cars.

    The fraud escalated in 2023 when Huss initiated a second scheme involving fraudulent “payment vouchers” disguised as checks. He mailed these fake checks to car finance companies in an attempt to discharge loans on his high-end vehicles, including a Lamborghini and a Mercedes-Benz. In total, Huss sent over $300,000 in these false checks in his effort to fraudulently obtain these luxury automobiles.

    Official Statements and Investigation

    “Pandemic relief programs were designed to help struggling businesses and families—not to fund luxury lifestyles,” stated U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. Quiñones affirmed his office’s commitment to holding accountable anyone who defrauded COVID-19 relief funds, regardless of their public status or notoriety.

    The announcement of Huss’s sentencing was made by U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, alongside Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Miami, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan McSeveney of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office. The complex case was investigated by HSI Miami and the DSS Miami Field Office, with significant assistance from the Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, the Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General, and local police departments in Sunny Isles and Aventura.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosenfeld and Senior Litigation Counsel Michael Berger prosecuted the case, which was filed under case number 25-cr-20087. The conviction of Scott Lee Huss underscores the ongoing federal efforts to combat fraud related to pandemic relief programs and other financial crimes.

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