NHP man sentenced in COVID loan scam

Felcon to serve 50 hours of community service after pleading guilty to defrauding $1M

BY KARINA KOVAC

William Felcon, 66, of Manhasset Hills has been sentenced to 50 hours of community service after pleading guilty to fraudulently securing loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration in May, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg’s office.

Felcon’s plea, entered in May for seconddegree grand larceny, led to the forfeiture of $175,000 seized from his corporate accounts and $36,000 paid from his personal funds to settle debts owed to the SBA.

The legal proceedings also involved Felcon’s nephew, Thomas A. Felcon, 42, of Howard Beach, who also pleaded guilty to seconddegree attempted grand larceny in May. Thomas Felcon’s was sentenced to six months at Rikers Island for his involvement.

“While New York businesses were in dire need of financial support during the pandemic, William and Thomas Felcon defrauded the system and obtained loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration by lying on their applications,” said Bragg. “We will not allow public programs to be raided and used as a personal piggybank for greedy individuals and companies.”

Legal actions were taken after an investigation by the district attorney’s Rackets Bureau that included the use of wire taps.

This investigation, prompted by suspicions check-cashing activity, uncovered a network of fraudulent schemes as a byproduct of their efforts.

These included a campaign finance fraud supporting New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ election campaign, multi-million-dollar cash payroll insurance fraud, minority and women-