A man living in Florida has been stripped of his United States citizenship after being convicted in a multi-million dollar Covid-19 fraud case, according to a federal court ruling.
The decision was issued by a US judge who found that the man, 25-year-old Joff Stenn Wroy Philossaint, had obtained his citizenship unlawfully and later took part in a large fraud scheme linked to pandemic relief funds. The case involves about $3.8 million in fraudulent claims connected to government aid programmes introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prosecutors said the man gave false details to get loans and aid meant for struggling businesses. These programmes were set up to help companies and workers during lockdowns. Instead, he used the money for himself.
The fraud involved multiple applications submitted using fake or misleading details. The man lied about business operations and financial losses to qualify for the aid. The scheme continued until it was detected by investigators.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) brought the case as part of a crackdown on pandemic-related fraud. Since 2020, federal agencies have investigated thousands of cases involving misuse of relief funds, including false loan applications and identity fraud.
In addition to the fraud conviction, the court reviewed how the man originally became a US citizen. Judges found that he had not been fully truthful during the naturalisation process. Under US law, citizenship can be revoked if it was obtained through false statements or concealment of important facts.
Based on these findings, the court ordered that his citizenship be cancelled. This process is known as denaturalisation, and it removes the legal status of citizenship and can lead to further immigration action, including possible deportation.
