| Florida Man Charged with
Theft in COVID 19 Program Pled
Guilty Now Co-D Asks Below 97
Months
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack SDNY
COURTHOUSE,
June 29 รข€“ One of six
defendants charged with
stealing from government
COVID-19 programs was
presented and freed on bail on
April 10 by U.S. District
Court for the Southern
District of New York
Magistrate Judge Gary Stein.
Inner City Press was there,
the only media in the SDNY Mag
court. The
prosecutors cite "a scheme to
fraudulently obtain checks and
launder the proceeds. Many of
the checks were funds provided
by the government for COVID-19
relief that the defendants
stole before depositing into
bank accounts opened using
sham businesses or stolen or
fake identities. In total, the
defendants attempted to steal
approximately $80 million and
succeeded in depositing
approximately $50
million." This
defendant Ujkic was
represented by a lawyer from
Fort Lauderdale, admitted pro
hac vice. He was freed on
$100,000 bond with travel
including a district in
Florida and another in
Georgia. Jump cut to
February 4, 2026 when Ujkic
pleaded guilty before Judge
Castel, wtih sentencing set
for May 21. On February 11
Shan Anand pled guilty, with
his sentencing also set for
May 21. On June 29,
co-defendant Aluko asked for
less then the 97 month
guideline when he is sentenced
on July 14. The overall case is USA v. Anand, et al., 1:25-cr-110 (Castel)
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Friday, July 3, 2026
Florida Man Charged with Theft in COVID 19 Program Pled Guilty Now Co-D Asks Below 97 Months
