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VERNAL — A Vernal man with ties to several Utah companies is accused of defrauding or attempting to defraud the federal government out of nearly $2 million in funds by falsely applying for aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A federal grand jury this week indicted Lee H. Anglin with wire fraud, attempted wire fraud and money laundering.
At the time of the alleged crimes, Anglin was a resident of both Utah and Illinois, according to court documents.
From about July 2020 through June 2022, after the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act was signed by the president, Anglin "attempted to apply for, applied for and obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for various companies using false borrower information with the intent to steal and to convert the proceeds of those loans to his personal use and unauthorized purposes," the indictment alleges.
Prosecutors say Anglin attempted to defraud the government of "approximately $1,930,624.43 in PPP loan proceeds through false statements, misrepresentation, deception and omissions of material facts, and to then use the loan proceeds for his personal benefit," according to the charges.
Anglin used the names of a relative and a 96-year-old Colorado resident to apply for federal money for three Utah companies and one Colorado company, investigators said.
Anglin received nearly $950,000 for the four loans that were approved, but had five loans not approved. In each loan, he "concealed his identity as the true owner, operator, manager and person in control of the company, "and exaggerated the number of employees and inflated the monthly payroll," the charges state.
In July 2020, investigators say Anglin transferred money from one of the company's accounts to a relative's bank account with a memo stating "house." On another occasion he is accused of withdrawing funds for the purpose of giving a $21,500 cashier check to Unlimited Auto Sales. In 2021, Anglin withdrew more than $63,000 for the purchase of a 2021 Nissan Armada, the charges state.
Prosecutors are now seeking to have the Nissan forfeited to the federal government, as well as "a money judgment equal to the value of all property not available for forfeiture" that was purchased with federal money.
It's not the first time Anglin has made headlines. In 2021, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Anglin had failed to report to prison for a parole violation, while referring to him as a 'wheeler-dealer." And earlier this year, the BasinNow.com website stated that Anglin was a co-owner of Scooters Pizza and Grub in Vernal and had a federal warrant out for his arrest.
