Florida man charged with stealing coronavirus relief funds to buy himself a Lamborghini

David Hines allegedly stole $3.9 million (£3m) from a Covid-19 employment relief fund

A man allegedly stole $3.9 million (£3m) from a Covid-19 employment relief fund and used some of the money to buy a Lamborghini sports car, authorities said on Monday.

David T Hines, of Miami, Florida, has been charged with bank fraud, making false statements to a financial institution and engaging in transactions in unlawful proceeds, according to a statement released by the US Department of Justice.

Prosecutors allege that Hines, 29, made fraudulent applications to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – a government scheme designed to help employers pay the wages of staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

He is accused of submitting a number of applications on behalf of different companies. Investigators say Hines lied about the number of employees at firms and exaggerated the amount they earned.

In total, Hines applied for $13.5m (£10.4m) worth of loans but received just under $4m, which he is accused of using to go on a shopping spree.

Within days of receiving the money, “Hines purchased a 2020 Lamborghini Huracan sports car for approximately $318,000, which he registered jointly in his name and the name of one of his companies,” the statement added.

He also spent thousands of dollars on dating websites, jewellery and clothes and stayed at posh hotels in Miami Beach, prosecutors say.

But Hines did not make payroll payments that he claimed on his loan applications, according to the statement.

Hines was arrested on Friday and his bail set at $100,000 (£77,000) at his first court appearance on Monday.

He will appear before prosecutors again on 14 October.

The PPP scheme was introduced in March to help small businesses deal with lost income amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Senators have since announced a $1 trillion stimulus package to boost the US economy as the pandemic continues to sweep the country.

More than 54,000 infections have been reported in the US in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recorded cases to 4.4 million.

At least 150,000 people have died as with the disease, while 1.3 million have recovered.