
The owner of Massachusetts boxing gym has been sentenced in federal court for fraudulently obtaining and using COVID relief funds.
According to The Salem News, Daniel Olivar, 43, of Lynnfield, and ownner of Sonny's Boxing and Fitness in Middleton, was sentenced on four wire fraud charges for fraudulently obtaining multiple Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act loans, including funds from the Payroll Protection Program (PPP), and unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled.
After pleading guilty in August of last year, Olivar was sentenced on Jan. 30 to six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release with the first six months to be served in home confinement. Olivar has also been ordered to pay $50,844 in restitution.
Since 2019, Olivar engaged in a scheme to defraud and obtain CARES Act business loans by filing false and fraudulent applications with the U.S. Small Business administration. This included an Economic Injury Disaster Loan of $20,832 from the SBA and a PPP loan through TD Bank, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Olivar was also receiving unemployment benefits from January 2020 until at least May 2021.