May 19. The president of a Charlotte high school booster club and his wife have been indicted for stealing more than $200,000 from the organization they purportedly supported.
The husband, Anthony Sharper, 39, is also charged with fraudulently obtaining over $236,000 in COVID-19 relief funds to cover up the theft from the South Meck High School booster club.
According to allegations, Sharper, 39, and his wife Deana, 45, executed a scheme to defraud and embezzle at least $200,000 by writing checks to themselves for reimbursement, wiring funds to their own bank account, as well as using the club’s debit cards and credit card to pay for personal expenditures.
The indictment further alleges that Anthony Sharper also committed tax fraud by failing to to report any of the embezzled funds on the couple’s joint 2018 and 2019 tax returns filed with the IRS.
CPA firm
Interestingly enough, Sharper owned a CPA firm whose motto is: “Our accounting firm is here to help you and your business.”
To cover up the theft, the indictment says Sharper submitted three fraudulent applications for federal COVID-19 relief funds, including two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications, one in the name of the booster club and one in the name of his accounting firm, A. Sharper CPA.
He also applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration the CPA firm.
The Sharpers are charged with wire fraud which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $250,000 fine. Anthony Sharper is also charged with two counts of making false statements to a financial institution, which carry a maximum 30 years and a $1 million fine per count; making a false statement to SBA, maximum penalty of 30 years and a $1 million fine; two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property, which carry a maximum term of 10 years and a $500,000 fine per count; and two counts of filing a false tax return, which carry a maximum penalty of three years and a $250,000 fine per count.
The indictment alleges that Anthony Sharper obtained more than $236,000 in COVID-19 relief funds intended for existing businesses harmed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The criminal indictment also contains a notice of forfeiture, which gives notice that the defendants must forfeit to the United States all of the property, currency and monetary instruments involved in the offenses charged in the indictment.
Feds seek $436,000
The government will pursue a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of at least $436,000.
Anthony and Deana Sharper will be ordered by the U.S. District Court to appear on a summons for their initial appearance, which will be scheduled by the court.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations.
The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
