Red power ranger PPP fraud has kids and parents wondering aloud what happened to the Small Business Administration program that was supposed to get businesses back on their feet during COVID19.
“What is it with you hero types?”
That is a common phrase for the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, but there may be a new phrase for Jason Geiger, who goes by the stage name Austin St. John, soon.
Red Power Ranger PPP Fraud
Geiger is the North Texas man who once played the Red Power Ranger on the iconic 1990s television show.
He was among eighteen people arrested in a federal Paycheck Protection Program fraud case.
According to federal prosecutors, the McKinney actor and others from both North Texas and Florida “executed a scheme to defraud lenders and the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program” out of millions of dollars.
The list of those arrested includes fourteen North Texans:
- Michael Lewayne Hill, a/k/a Tank, 47, of Mineral Wells;
- Andrew Charles Moran, 43, of Lewisville;
- Peter Keovongphet, a/k/a Lil’ Pete, 34, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL;
- Ty Alan Burkhart, 34, of Frisco;
- Jason Geiger, a/k/a Austin St. John a/k/a the Red Power Ranger, 47, of McKinney;
- Eric Reed Marascio, a/k/a Phoenix Marcon, 50, of Allen;
- Christopher Lee McElfresh, 43, of Frisco;
- Cord Dean Newman, 44, of Homosassa, FL;
- Elmer Omar Ayala, 45, of Midlothian;
- Gregory Fitzgerald Hatley, Jr., 38, of Allen;
- Alexander Eric Cortesano, 52, of Dallas;
- Arthur Atik Pongtaratik, 33, of Carrollton;
- Miles Justin Urias, 34, of Richardson;
- Fabian C. Hernandez, 44, of Lake Alfred, FL;
- Daniel Lee Warren, 33, address unknown;
- Rajaa Bensellam, 49, of Allen;
- Hadi Mohammed Taffal, 50, of Allen; and
- Jonathon James Spencer, a/k/a Spence, 33, of Rowlett
Hill is alleged to have recruited people to use existing businesses or create businesses to apply for PPP funding. Morgan then helped with the paperwork and fabricated documents.
“Once in receipt of the fraudulently obtained funds, the defendants did not use the money as intended, such as to pay employee salaries, cover fixed debt or utility payments, or continue health care benefits for employees. Instead, the defendants typically paid Hill and Moran, transferred money to their personal accounts, and spent the funds on various personal purchases,” a news release states.
“There’s going to be documents that will show the bank account being open, the money coming out, the money going out. All of that will be well documented,” former federal prosecutor John Helms said.
The defendants, including Jason Geiger, aka Austin St. John, are accused of misusing at least $3.5 million from at least 16 fraudulent loans and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
PPP Fraud and Extorted Minority Applicants
In September 2021, we reported on persons extorting money from minority SBA loan applicants, but to date neither the Small Business Administration nor the US Attorney’s Office has taken any action.
Contractors and staff of SBA extorting minority applicants per phone calls and screen shots. Staff members of the Small Business Administration Region 6 have refused multiple requests for comment at the time.
In one partial screenshot, a staff member releases information to a third party “finder.” The finder then offers to broker the application with SBA for fees of ten percent to the SBA staff member and five percent to the finder.
Goree and other staff have refused multiple requests for comment as to why staff members are heard asking for kickbacks. They have also not responded to multiple requests for comment on process or how information is contained.
There has been at least one local suicide secondary to PPP fraud and SBA’s non responsive civil service staff.