Pinellas man convicted for using dead business partner’s identity for COVID fraud

A federal jury has convicted a Pinellas County man on multiple charges after stealing more than $955,000 in COVID relief funds by using his dead business partner’s identity, federal prosecutors say in a release. 

Stephen L. Gurba, 69, of Belleair, was found guilty of two charges of wire fraud, two charges of aggravated identity theft and making a false statement to a financial institution. Gurba now faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in a federal prison on each count of wire fraud, up to 30 years in prison for the false statement charge and a mandatory minimum two-year prison sentence for each of the aggravated identity theft charges, the release says. 

Between March and June 2020, Gurba submitted false Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Program loan applications and supporting documentation on behalf of Big Red Express Trucking LLC and Zenith Express LLC, the Department of Justice says. 

To obtain approval and funding for the Big Red and Zenith loans, Gurba fraudulently assumed the identity of his former business partner, who died in 2019, the DOJ says. Gurba, prosecutors alleged, listed his former business partner’s name, forged his signature and provided other means of identification on the EIDL and PPP loan applications. He certified under potential criminal penalty that the applications were true and correct.

Gurba also used his deceased business partner’s name and forged his signature on the EIDL loan authorization agreements and loan notes submitted to the Small Business Administration (SBA), the release says. After submitting the paperwork, Gurba continued to impersonate his deceased business partner while communicating with the SBA before it approved funding for both companies. (Authorities did not disclose the name of Gurba's deceased business partner.) 

Instead of using the proceeds on payroll, mortgages, rent and other SBA authorized expenses, Gurba spent the loan money at a casino, gave money to family members and paid off unapproved business debts, authorities contended.

Because of his false statements, Gurba was approved for a loan of $955,448.75, the release says.