Rensselaer man sentenced for pandemic-related fraud

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Rensselaer man has been sentenced for defrauding pandemic-related unemployment insurance and small business loan programs. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) said Hector Sanchez, 30, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison.

As part of his guilty plea, Sanchez admitted to making false unemployment insurance claims to the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) by using the identities of other people. He personally received $131,560 in pandemic-related benefits from this.

Sanchez also admitted to getting a $12,500 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for a car wash business that did not exist. DOJ said Sanchez agreed to pay restitution to both the NYSDOL and the PPP lender.

The judge ordered Sanchez's federal sentence to be served consecutive to New York State terms of imprisonment for separate firearms and narcotics charges. A three-year term of supervised release will also begin after Sanchez is released from prison.