FBI Offers Reward in Fitzgerald Double Murder Case
FITZGERALD, GA—FBI Atlanta, in conjunction with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Fitzgerald Police Department, is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the deaths of brothers Kevin and Cedric Kind of Fitzgerald, GA.
On July 13, 2019, at about 8:30 a.m., Kevin Kind, age 42, was found shot to death inside a local car wash in the 300 block of East Palm Street in Fitzgerald, GA.
At approximately 9:00 a.m. that same day, Cedric Kind, age 40, was found shot to death in his bed inside his residence on East Cyprus Street in Fitzgerald, GA.
The two murders, which are believed to be connected, are being investigated by the GBI, and the FBI’s assistance has been requested. The murders are believed to be related to gang activity.
After more than 16-months, no arrests have been made. Anyone with information about the two murders is asked to contact FBI Atlanta at (770) 216-3000 or go to tips.fbi.gov.
Major COVID-19 fraud investigation results in charges in Augusta
AUGUSTA, GA: Six individuals have been indicted on felony charges and nearly $400,000 seized in the Southern District of Georgia relating to the alleged submission of fraudulent loan applications for pandemic disaster relief funds.
In response to the devastating negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed into law in March 2020. The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide and/or guarantee loans specifically designed to keep small businesses afloat during the unprecedented financial challenges brought on by the pandemic. Charges in the Augusta area announced today allege that individuals exploited these programs for their own financial gain and sought relief payments through a series of false and fraudulent representations regarding their businesses’ existence, gross revenue, and number of employees in order to receive Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and/or Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
According to the indictments, these individuals made false representations to the SBA and/or financial institutions about small businesses each purportedly owned in the Augusta area. The indictments allege that each of the defendants fraudulently obtained relief funds earmarked for small businesses that were suffering the negative economic impacts of the pandemic:
• Whitney Adwan Mack, 33, of Louisville, Ga., the alleged owner of four different businesses, is charged with wire fraud and misuse of a social security number for making false representations to the SBA regarding her businesses’ gross revenue, number of employees, and using a Social Security number that did not belong to her.
• Jada S. Nelson, 20, and Sonya Barnes, 41, both of Augusta, are charged with wire fraud and aiding and abetting for making false representations to the SBA regarding their businesses’ existence, gross revenue, and number of employees.
• Rose Mary Coleman, 57, of Augusta, is charged with wire fraud for making false representations to the SBA regarding her business’s gross revenue and number of employees.
• Orell Plummer, 41, of Augusta, is charged with wire fraud for making false representations to the SBA regarding the gross revenue and number of employees in his business.
• Darryl T. Williams, Sr., 52, of Augusta, is charged with wire fraud for making false representations to the SBA and to a financial lender regarding the gross revenue and number of employees of his businesses.
In addition, in a separate matter, the United States has filed a forfeiture complaint to recover $383,456.21 in funds that have been seized and are alleged to be the fruits of fraudulent SBA loan submissions.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.