The owner of a Massachusetts pizza parlor allegedly fraudulently obtained more than $660,000 in federal coronavirus relief funds which he ...
The owner of a Massachusetts pizza parlor allegedly fraudulently obtained more than $660,000 in federal coronavirus relief funds which he then used for various extravagant personal purchases - including an alpaca farm in Vermont.
Dana McIntyre of Grafton, Vermont, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with wire fraud and money laundering, according to a statement from the US attorney's office in Boston.
The 57-year-old, who formerly lived in Beverly and Essex, Massachusetts, was the owner of Rasta Pasta Pizzeria in Beverly when he applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan in April 2020, prosecutors said.
He allegedly lied about the number of people he employed on his application before being granted a large loan and spending the bulk of the money on himself.
Prosecutors said McIntyre's federally-funded purchases included a farm, alpacas, two cars, a spa trip and weekly airtime for the cryptocurrency-themed radio program he hosts.
Dana McIntyre, 57, who owns a Boston-area pizzeria and is also a radio talk show host on a local Boston station, was arrested and charged by federal prosecutors on Tuesday for lying about the size of his business to fraudulently obtain a PPP loan worth more than $600,000
According to federal investigators, McIntyre bought and refurbished a farm in Vermont. He also bought several alpacas (above) worth $6,380
He also bought at least two vehicles - including a 1950 Hudson and a GMC Sierra truck - and weekly airtime for a cryptocurrency-themed radio show that he hosted, prosecutors said. A 1950 Hudson Commodore convertible (like the one seen in the above file photo) is a rare, vintage car that is usually sold for upwards of $110,000
The federal government also alleges McIntyre bought a GMC Sierra truck (like the one seen above)
On his Facebook page, McIntyre vehemently denied the allegations on Tuesday. He posted a message which read: 'Plain utter bulls***. Can not wait for my day in court.'
McIntyre, a radio talk show host who bills himself as 'Dana Crypto' or 'Mr. Crypto,' was scheduled to appear remotely in U.S. District Court in Boston later Tuesday.
He was expected to be released on $100,000 unsecured bond with a series of conditions.
McIntyre vehemently denied the allegations in a Facebook post on Tuesday, writing: 'Plain utter bulls***. Can not wait for my day in court.'
'My client denies the allegation and will have further comment at a later date,' McIntyre's attorney, Jason Stelmack, said in an email.
DailyMail.com has reached out to McIntyre seeking comment.
McIntyre is seen in the above undated file photos. He was expected to be released on $100,000 unsecured bond with a series of conditions
According to McIntyre's LinkedIn page, he is the founder of New England Block Chain LLC, a 'bitcoin ATM management network.' His LinkedIn page also lists McIntyre as the owner of Rasta Foods, Inc, based in Beverly, Massachusetts
McIntyre, who formerly lived in Beverly and Essex, Massachusetts, was the owner of Rasta Pasta Pizzeria in Beverly in April 2020 when he applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan, prosecutors said
But in his application, he falsified an official tax form and claimed the pizza shop had almost 50 employees with a monthly payroll of $265,000, when records indicate it had fewer than 10, in an effort to inflate the size of the loan he was entitled to, authorities said
Prosecutors said that on his PPP loan application, McIntyre falsified an official tax form and claimed the pizza shop had almost 50 employees with a monthly payroll of $265,000, when records indicate it had fewer than 10, in an effort to inflate the size of the loan he was entitled to.
He applied for the PPP loan using Kabbage, an online financial technology firm that was allowed to issue loans, according to Salem News.
After receiving the loan, he sold the pizza shop and used the money to purchase and upgrade a farm in Vermont and buy several alpacas, authorities said.
He also bought at least two vehicles - including a 1950 Hudson and a GMC Sierra truck - and weekly airtime for a cryptocurrency-themed radio show that he hosted, prosecutors said.
A 1950 Hudson Commodore convertible is a rare, vintage car that is usually sold for upwards of $110,000.
According to federal investigators, McIntyre set up a trust fund through a law firm based in Vermont. He then used that fund to transfer money to pay for the farm, equipment, and vehicles.
McIntyre is alleged to have spent $6,380 on the alpacas. Some of the money used was taken from a payroll account, the federal government alleges.
The alpaca farm in Vermont, Houghtonville Farm, has a web site promoting it as a space that is ‘dedicated to education as well as one on one interactions with our alpacas.’
Visitors to the farm can also pay upwards of $200 for an ‘alpaca experience’ that includes ‘wine, cheese, and alpaca’ as well as ‘family picnics’ with the animals.
The farm also offers a ‘breeding program’ in which owners of female alpacas can arrange a rendezvous with the Peruvian Hershey, a ‘proven and very willing’ 14-year-old male. The cost to take part in the breeding program ‘starts’ at $950
Federal investigators also allege that McIntyre spent $2,200 on a trip to a 'cosmetic spa' in February.
McIntyre is the host of The Dana Crypto Show, which is billed as 'the first FM radio show on cryptocurrency.' The show aired every Sunday night at 7pm on Boston's North Shore 104.9FM WBOQ.
'We just learned today about the allegations against Dana McIntyre,' Todd Tanger, the owner of the radio station, told DailyMail.com on Tuesday.
'It is upsetting to hear the allegations. The Paycheck Protection Program has been very important to many local businesses that are struggling to survive over the last year.
'Mr. McIntyre’s paid radio show has been on air at North Shore 104.9 FM for about three years and today we removed it from air immediately pending investigation and the outcome of the charges.'
According to the show's web site, the program 'is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur and show host Dana Crypto.'
'Fusing comedy, bits and spoofs into a financial show, Mr. Crypto became excited and interested in Bitcoin and Blockchain a few years ago,' the show's site says.
'It was then he realized this technology is not only the future of money but it is changing the very way we do commerce and will change how we conduct business in every aspect.
'Each week we explore new relevant topics within the crypto and blockchain space as well as providing a platform for the main stream public to be introduced to this new way of investing.'
According to McIntyre's LinkedIn page, he is the founder of New England Block Chain LLC, a 'bitcoin ATM management network.'
His LinkedIn page also lists McIntyre as the owner of Rasta Foods, Inc, based in Beverly, Massachusetts.
On April 29, he posted a video on Facebook showing one of his alpacas, Hershey, getting his wool shorn
In the post, he mentions that alpaca wool can be used for financial gain. The wool has been used to make hiking gear, thermal underwear, socks, toys, clothing, exclusive fashion, coats, sweater, cardigans, and other items
'Think of the alpaca as your investment, Crypto currency or otherwise,' McIntyre wrote. 'You wait a long time, your patient, you weather the winter. Then comes the day you reap the benefits.' McIntyre bragged that Hershey's wool 'is about as top-quality as you can get.' 'Feel it is kind a like cotton candy on a cloud this should fetch a nice profit at the market,' he wrote.
McIntyre graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, having earned a degree in business management.
McIntyre was not shy about using his social media to post images of alpacas and share his fondness of them.
'Communication is far more than words,' McIntyre wrote in a January 25 post which included a photo of two alpacas.
'Caring for animals is revealing as many of you know. They show personality and love without words. And expose the imperfections of the more “advanced” species.
'It’s nice to be greeted with such expectation and all they want is a hand full of grain and maybe a belly rub.'
On April 29, he posted a video on Facebook showing one of his alpacas, Hershey, getting his wool shorn.
In the post, he mentions that alpaca wool can be used for financial gain. The wool has been used to make hiking gear, thermal underwear, socks, toys, clothing, exclusive fashion, coats, sweater, cardigans, and other items.
'Think of the alpaca as your investment, Crypto currency or otherwise,' McIntyre wrote.
'You wait a long time, your patient, you weather the winter. Then comes the day you reap the benefits.'
McIntyre bragged that Hershey's wool 'is about as top-quality as you can get.'
'Feel it is kind a like cotton candy on a cloud this should fetch a nice profit at the market,' he wrote.
The alpaca farm in Vermont, Houghtonville Farm, has a web site promoting it as a space that is ‘dedicated to education as well as one on one interactions with our alpacas.’
The farm sells scarfs, socks, hats, oils and soaps made from alpaca fibers.
Visitors to the farm can also pay upwards of $200 for an ‘alpaca experience’ that includes ‘wine, cheese, and alpaca’ as well as ‘family picnics’ with the animals.
McIntyre is the host of The Dana Crypto Show, which is billed as 'the first FM radio show on cryptocurrency.' The show aired every Sunday night at 7pm on Boston's North Shore 104.9FM WBOQ. The head of the radio station told DailyMail.com that the show is no longer on the air
The farm also offers a ‘breeding program’ in which owners of female alpacas can arrange a rendezvous with the Peruvian Hershey, a ‘proven and very willing’ 14-year-old male.
The cost to take part in the breeding program ‘starts’ at $950.
If convicted of both charges, he faces up to 40 years in prison and $750,000 in fines.
PPP loans - or loans made through the federal government's Paycheck Protection Program - were intended for small businesses to keep their employees on payroll during the coronavirus pandemic, which forced many firms to close.
The loans were provided at a low interest rate and are fully forgivable under conditions that include spending a certain percentage on payroll costs.
The loans were created by Congress and have proven exceedingly popular as shops, restaurants and other small businesses try to survive the pandemic.
The Government Accountability Office said in March that millions of small businesses benefitted from the emergency loans, but the speed with which the relief programs were set up limited safeguards necessary to identify risks, 'including susceptibility to improper payments and potential fraud.'
The Small Business Administration made or guaranteed more than 14.7 million loans and grants totaling about $744billion between March and December. Congress approved an additional $304 billion in emergency loans in December.
The GAO said in the report that, as of January, it continues to experience delays in obtaining key information about the loans, including detailed oversight plans and documentation for estimating improper payments.
No comments