A former professional basketball player has admitted to committing $272,774 in fraud related to pandemic aid programs.
Lorenzo Gordon, 41, of Chesterfield, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Wednesday to one felony count of theft of government money.
As part of the plea agreement, Gordon admitted to fraudulently applying for two loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and three loans from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Both programs were designed to help businesses and their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gordon’s loan applications contained false information regarding three companies: Logo Fitness LLC, Elite 50 Basketball Training LLC, and Elite Health and Fitness Company LLC. As a result, Gordon fraudulently received $107,074 in PPP loans and $165,700 in EIDL loans and advances, according to his plea.
He is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 9, 2025. The charge of theft of government money carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration.
