Published On: Thu, Apr 1st, 2021

Boca Raton man accused of stealing COVID-19 relief money

A local 57-year-old man is accused of lying to receive COVID-19 relief funds. As reported by CBS 12 News, the man was making false claims to receive $500,00 worth of financial assistance. He reported used those funds to buy a BMW, and Rolex watches.

The man, Barry Jay Wolf, reportedly used those funds to buy luxury items. Most of the luxury items purchased were jewelry. Wolf submitted five fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan, EIDL, applications, and two Paycheck Protection Program applications. 

Wolf also received unemployment benefits from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity regularly. He claimed to be an employer of many people while claiming to be unemployed. In other applications, Wolf claimed to be running a business from his home. He claimed that this business had 24 employees and earned $800,000 in gross revenue in 2019. 

This is not the first time that Wolf has been accused of fraud. Court documents show that Wolf pleaded guilty to mail fraud in 2017. In 2017, he also pleaded guilty to commodities fraud for orchestrating investment fraud. Wolf reportedly never used the relief money for business purposes or to pay his employees.

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