CLEVELAND — The owner and operator of a tax return preparation business in Akron has been found guilty of various crimes as part of a “financial conspiracy that defrauded the U.S. government of pandemic benefits,” according to a press release from the Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

What You Need To Know

  • A tax return prep business owner has been found guilty of crimes related to a conspiracy to defraud the government of pandemic benefits

  • The man, Mustafa Ayoub Diab, was found guilty for crimes ranging from bank fraud to aggravated identify theft

  • Elizabeth Lorraine Robinson was named as a co-conspirator, and she already pleaded guilty to various crimes

  • Diab and Robinson await sentencing and could face up to 30 years in prison

Mustafa Ayoub Diab, 41, was found guilty by a federal jury for the following crimes:

  • Theft of government funds (12 counts),
  • Bank fraud (12 counts)
  • Wire fraud (11 counts)
  • Aggravated identity theft (six counts)
  • Conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and to launder monetary instruments (one count each)

The release names Diab’s co-conspirator as Elizabeth Lorraine Robinson, 33. They are both of Ravenna, Ohio.

According to the release, Diab exploited both the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program and the Paycheck Protection Program meant to provide people and small businesses assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“From around, June 2020 to August 2021, Diab submitted fraudulent applications for pandemic unemployment benefits and small business assistance for many of his tax preparation business clients,” the release reads. “Without their knowledge, he lied about their employment, or about being small business owners, on the applications so they would qualify to receive pandemic funds and benefits.”

The release states an investigation found he received these funds through bank accounts he opened in his clients’ names as well as those in the name of his sister and Robinson.

“When the pandemic relief funds were deposited into these accounts, he immediately withdrew the funds in cash for his personal use,” the release reads. “With the cash, Diab bought real estate, cars and took international trips. In evidence presented to the jury at trial, Diab submitted fraudulent applications in the names of nearly 80 victims, causing the federal government to pay out more than $1.2 million in pandemic benefits that were deposited into the various bank accounts that Diab controlled.”

Diab could be looking at a maximum 30 years in prison for these crimes and is scheduled for a sentencing on July 28. Robinson is also awaiting her sentencing, which could carry a punishment of up to 30 years as well. She already pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud and theft of government funds.