Issaquah man sentenced for COVID-19 relief fraud scheme

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — An Issaquah man was sentenced to two years in prison for a scheme to obtain COVID-19 relief loans from programs under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Austin Hsu, 46, pleaded guilty on Jan. 21 and along with his sentence was fined $25,000 and $709,104.97 in restitution.

According to a release from the Department of Justice, Hsu submitted nine fraudulent disaster loan applications seeking $1.1 million under various incorporated companies, some of which had no business or operations.

Six of the loan applications were approved and he fraudulently received more than $700,000 in COVID-19 relief funds.

Hsu also submitted fake federal tax filings.

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