Phillip Lovelace Jr, 33, of the 1900 block of S. Pope Avenue in Springfield, has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment for wire fraud relating to COVID relief programs.
According to court documents, Lovelace fraudulently obtained over $40,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loan funds.
Lovelace fraudulently applied for and received unemployment from the state of Arizona without qualifying business to receive PPP funds, nor was he eligible for unemployment funds from Arizona.
At the sentencing hearing, evidence revealed that Lovelace spent the proceeds of his fraud on personal expenditures, including dining, trips, and cars. Evidence was also presented that Lovelace had worked with others so that they could also fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief funds.
In addition to the 20-month sentence, Lovelace was ordered to pay a total of $48,853.30 in restitution to the State of Arizona and the Small Business Administration.
