St. Louis man receives nearly six-year sentence for shooting incident

VSM Abrasives Corp. has agreed to repay over $2 million after being accused of receiving an ineligible pandemic-era loan under false pretenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says this resolution underscores efforts to protect relief funds distributed during COVID-19.

Six people from St. Louis have been indicted over an $8.3 million pandemic relief fraud scheme involving false loan applications between March 2020 and December 2024. Authorities allege conspirators submitted dozens of fake PPP and EIDL claims using fabricated documents while collecting large sums meant for small businesses affected by COVID-19.

Federal prosecutors have charged three people with defrauding a cruise ship company out of more than $2 million through false invoicing schemes between June 2021 and September 2023. Authorities allege personal expenses were hidden within business transactions involving multiple companies tied to those accused.