Lary previously denied the accusations of fraud. Jason Lary stole more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds meant to help the. Lary betrayed the trust placed in him by the citizens of Stonecrest by stealing the very funds meant to help his constituents weather the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan said. 2022-02-12 - By Zachary Hansen zachary.hansen@ajc.com. As another example, Lary presented a check from MRPC for $50,000 to Church 2. Later, a person acting on Larys behalf told Church 2 to contribute $4,500 of the relief funds to REMC, purportedly for rent assistance. The 60-year-old Lary pleaded guilty in January to fraud and theft charges. In Larys guilty plea, he admitted to making sure that Boone was hired as Municipal Resource Partners bookkeeper. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. The potential stakes are high for offenders who break new guidelines. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Jason Lary was accused of stealing more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary is asking for a lighter sentence than he faces after pleading guilty to allegedly stealing COVID relief funds awarded to the city during the pandemic. Later, in March 2021, after learning of an investigation into the citys handling of relief funds and knowing that the business had never filed paperwork to support the grant, Clarence Boone attempted to conceal the scheme by directing the businesss owner to submit an application that contained false statements, even though the Small Business Program had already ceased operations. Around October 2021, the United States seized approximately $480,000 of fraud proceeds held in the bank accounts of Visit Us and Battleground Media. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. In September 2020, Jason Lary, the former Mayor of Stonecrest, allocated $5 million of the relief funds to a Small Business Program which would disburse relief funds based on applications submitted by local businesses. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges A judge will have the final say on her sentencing; her conspiracy charge carries a maximum of five years behind bars. Former Mayor of Stonecrest sentenced to prison for stealing COVID-19 Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. The City Council voted Monday to set the election date, determine qualifying information and formally ask ask the DeKalb County Board of Registrations and Elections to run the election. He declined to say what type of cancer he is battling but said it seems to be resurfacing for the third time. Library : Stone Rejected Has Become Cornerstone, The Lock ATLANTA - The former Mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing COVID-19 relief funds that were supposed to go to struggling businesses. Boone, who wrote the bulk of the checks using the stolen funds, agreed with that Friday in court. Former Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary is met by FOX 5 I-Team Reporter Randy Travis as he walks into the federal courthouse in Atlanta to enter a guilty plea to stealing CARES Act money on Jan.. Wilmot said Lary used some of that stolen money to pay off the $108,147 mortgage on his lakefront home in Macon. Lary also made the defendants wife, Lania Boone, the bookkeeper charged with distributing relief funds. Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges | AP News In total, businesses were defrauded out of hundreds of thousands of dollars of relief funds. And while Lary falsely stated that the $50,000 would be used to assist with home repairs for people who could not afford them due to COVID-19, in reality he used the money for his own purposes, including to pay off his outstanding federal, state, and local tax liabilities. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday.. Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges, Former mayor of Stonecrest, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID-19 relief funds, LIST: Schools across Georgia closing early ahead of possible severe weather, Gallery of storm damage across GA: Send us your photos, videos, Firefighters rescue Cherokee County man buried up to his neck in trench, Excel Church gives despite recovery from fire, Father and 9-month-old daughter reported missing in Clayton County, 26-year-old woman shot while driving in Decatur, Sign up for Atlanta News First Newsletters. Hopefully, he gets all of that, Morrell said. Lania Boone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft on February 11, 2022. The phrase is quoted by Jesus, who applies it to his mission of death and glory, after having told the . Boone and the former Mayor conspired to fraudulently line each others pockets with relief funds that were desperately needed by struggling businesses in Stonecrest, said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. Lary asked potential recipients to kickback 25% of their grant to other companies for "marketing" purposes. Have a question about Government Services? That money was supposed to go to people like us. Lary, 60, pleaded guilty in January to wire fraud, federal program theft and conspiracy to commit federal program theft. Yet Lary and others asked that these contributions be given not to Stonecrest, but to entities called Visit Us, Inc. and Battleground Media, LLC. Lania Boone, 60, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for her role in a scheme to steal federal pandemic relief funds. The people of Stonecrest deserved better, and corrupt officials can expect severe consequences for using their offices to commit crimes.. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for His sentencing hearing has been set for May 2. His sentencing is set for May 2. Former Stonecrest mayor's accomplice pleads guilty to felony - ajc his resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. Lania Boone, a bookkeeper Lary hired for one of companies, admitted to helping the former mayor siphon CARES act money for personal use. A locked padlock Boone was the companys bookkeeper and wrote multiple checks to disburse the funds, records show. The city of Stonecrest could hold a special election as early as March to decide Larys replacement. Lary was supposed to be in office until the end of 2023. Lary and Boone knew the purpose of the transfer was to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor C. Wilmot prosecuted the case. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]. Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash sentenced Stonecrest ex-mayor Jason Lary to 57 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay nearly $120,000 in restitution. ATLANTA Jason Lary, the former Mayor of the City of Stonecrest, has been sentenced for using his elected office to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds allocated to the city. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. The resolution also adopted a funding plan for most of Stonecrests relief funds. Jason Lary, who announced his resignation as the mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds In January, Jason Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. Lary resigned from his post as a mayor right before filing a guilty plea to the charges, citing health reasons and three battles with cancer. Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges, Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges, Stonecrest mayor appeared in federal court about misusing CARES fund. Under the CARES Act, the federal government distributed COVID-19 relief funds to individual Americans, federal agencies, and state and local governments, including $125 million to DeKalb County. A bookkeeper and spouse of a former Stonecrest official accepted a plea deal in federal court Friday afternoon for participating in the same fraud scheme that brought down the city's founding mayor. An official website of the United States government. "What the mayor said was unacceptable and does not represent city council," said Mayor Pro Tem George Turner. The city will hold a special election to select a new mayor. The judge says Lary's actions were "deplorable" and rejected a defense request for Lary to avoid prison time. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. Roger Stone prosecutors quit after furor over Trump ally's sentence - CNBC Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID STONECREST MAYOR JASON LARY RESIGNS DAY BEFORE FEDERAL COURT DATE, FORMER STONECREST MAYOR ADMINS ROLE IN COVID RELIEF FRAUD SCHEME. Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges - CBS 46 Lary, 60, pleaded. In general, according to the Department of the Treasury, relief funds could only be used to cover costs that [were] necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Stonecrest ex-mayor's cohort pleads guilty in fraud scheme The city will hold a special election on May 24 to fill the rest of the mayor's term after the office was vacated by Jason Lary in January. Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary on Wednesday pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft and conspiracy to commit federal program theft, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. ATLANTA - Clarence Boone, the former Senior Economic Development Manager of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty to conspiring with his wife, Lania Boone, and the former Mayor of Stonecrest, Jason Lary, to steal pandemic relief funds intended to support small businesses in Stonecrest. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. Like the rest of the country, the residents and businesses of Stonecrest community looked to its government for vital assistance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A lock ( Under the CARES Act, the federal government distributed COVID-19 relief funds to individual Americans, federal agencies, and state and local governments, including $125 million to DeKalb County. Lary is expected to be sentenced on July 13 at 10 a.m. In return, prosecutors recommended a lighter sentence of 366 days in confinement half in prison and half as home arrest. Federal prosecutors said that in addition to paying off personal debt, Lary conducted a scheme where he asked small businesses and churches to whom he allocated grants to give 25% of the money to companies connected to himself and co-conspirators. February 21, 2022 Chris Butler. The people of Stonecrest deserved better, and corrupt officials can expect severe consequences for using their offices to commit crimes., It is extremely disheartening when an elected official, someone sworn to protect the community they serve, violates that oath by stealing relief funds intended to aid their community, said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. His plea came the same morning his resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. The 45-minute Zoom call in which he announced his resignation was hacked and briefly displayed a video game and then a brief snippet of pornography. Former L.A. Councilmember Jose Huizar pleads guilty in corruption case Richard B. Russell Federal Building The relief funds were designed to cover costs during the public health emergency. The plan also provided $5 million to the COVID-19 CARES Act Small Business Program (Small Business Program). Credit: Photo courtesy of Boston College Athletics, Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges, Stonecrest passes on March election date to replace mayor after guilty fraud plea, Jahmyr Gibbs: Georgia Tech helped make me who I am today, Georgia Tech closes regular season with win over Boston College. Check back for details. Lary used three different methods to steal the funds Stonecrest disbursed to MRPC. Lock The application included the question, are you willing to allocate 25% of your grant to marketing your business? Hundreds of businesses applied for relief funds, but most of the applicants were rejected. Lary, 59, was the first mayor of Stonecrest, a DeKalb County city of about . ATLANTA Former Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary was sentenced to 57 months in prison Wednesday after he stole more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds meant for the recovery of businesses, churches and the people of the city. City leaders have not chosen a specific location for the special election to be held. Stonecrest received $6.2 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds, and the two are accused of taking some of the funds for themselves. Ronald Bell, who conspired to extort money from Georgia Institute of Technology, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. Stonecrest did not disburse the $6 million allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program. and were incurred during the period that [began] on March 1, 2020, and [ended] on December 30, 2020. Examples of eligible expenditures were medical expenses, public health expenses, and grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures. The qualification period will take place roughly a month before the election date, and it must end 25 days before the election takes place. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID relief funds 585 views Feb 11, 2022 5 Dislike Share 11Alive 856K subscribers Jason Lary, the former mayor of. Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post. "I came back too early from my second round with cancer. 2023 FOX Television Stations, resignation went into effect at 10 a.m. Wednesday, he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 relief. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for Atlanta, GA 30303-3309. Those companies were all connected to Lary. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Suite 600 The federal government permitted DeKalb County to further disburse these relief funds to its municipalities. Former Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty To Federal Fraud Charges The first mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to the federal charges earlier this year. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022. He has not been charged with a crime. Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. Then, Lary caused the city to enter a contract with MPRC to disburse the relief funds as directed by Stonecrest. "The question of compassion to this Honorable Court is what is the appropriate sentenced for the conduct of this Defendant who, when confronted 'fessed up' and avoided costly indictment and made good faith efforts to cooperate with the Government," court documents read. A bookkeeper and spouse of a former Stonecrest official accepted a plea deal in federal court Friday afternoon for participating in the same fraud scheme that brought down the city's founding mayor. He then asked the church to give $50,000 back to one of the companies included in the scheme. ATLANTA (AP) A suburban Atlanta mayor pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges a day after announcing his resignation from office. Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges We are putting measures into place to prevent what we experienced during the meeting.. In January, Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. The 60-year-old Lary pleaded guilty in January to fraud and theft charges. Lary issued a statement to FOX 5 about the censure: "My frustrations have boiled over with this council. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure stolen relief funds are returned to the public, and individuals involved in this type of fraud are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary is asking for a lighter sentence than he faces after pleading guilty to allegedly stealing COVID relief funds awarded to the city during the pandemic. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives. . Jason Lary, whose resignation went into effect at 10 a.m. Wednesday, pleaded guilty to three counts involving wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy.
