Stolen COVID relief funds used to buy California man a Maserati SUV, feds say

When California police pulled over a Maseratis SUV in October, they found $197,000 cash, 17 unemployment debit cards, methamphetamine and a gun, federal officials say.

Driver Robert Sloan Mateer, 30, of Pasadena, obtained the cash, cards and Maserati as part of a COVID relief scam using “thousands” of fraudulent identities, the U.S. Attorney’s office for the central district of California says in a release.

Police found 14 of the 17 cards contained $133,000 in unemployment funds provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress in March, the release says.

The CARES Act expanded unemployment benefits to workers who were previously ineligible, such as business owners, who had been put out of work by the coronavirus pandemic.

Mateer admitted using thousands of fraudulent identities to obtain the funds, which he used to purchase the Maserati SUV, according to the release.

A federal grand jury in November charged Mateer with possession of at least 15 or more unauthorized access devices with intent to defraud, aggravated identity theft, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of ammunition, the release says.

If convicted on all charges, Mateer faces 17 years to life in prison, according to the release.

This story was originally published December 13, 2020 at 10:48 AM with the headline "Stolen COVID relief funds used to buy California man a Maserati SUV, feds say."