U.S. authorities are on the trail of a couple allegedly implicated in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme targeting the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This fraudulent operation involved loan applications linked to more than 100 Cuban immigrants.
On Monday, U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche highlighted the case during an event in Kansas City, led by Vice President J.D. Vance. During this gathering, the Trump administration announced a renewed crackdown on fraud involving federal funds distributed during the pandemic.
As reported by CBS News, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Iowa has indicted Adrián Rafael Pupo Pérez and Helen Yaima Leyva Santiesteban on 47 counts, including wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy charges.
According to the Department of Justice, both individuals remain fugitives. "This couple has fled the country [...] and remains on the run, but we are diligently working to bring them back," Blanche stated, presenting this case as a prime example of fraud actively pursued by federal authorities.
Details of the Fraud Scheme
Prosecutors assert that Pupo Pérez, Leyva Santiesteban, and over 100 people were involved in a scheme that included around 470 fraudulent PPP applications, using identities from various locations across the United States, according to CBS News.
The fraudulent activity aimed to secure more than $4.5 million in public funds, with approximately $2.4 million successfully disbursed, as stated by the same source.
Impact on Cuban Immigrants
Blanche specifically drew attention to the involvement of Cuban immigrants in the fraudulent scheme. He explained that loan applications were fraudulently filed "on behalf of over one hundred Cuban immigrants." In these applications, it was falsely claimed that these individuals were self-employed, each allegedly earning around $100,000 in gross income in 2019, prior to the pandemic.
In reality, Blanche noted, these individuals were not self-employed. Instead, they worked in a meat processing plant in northern Iowa or held other jobs in that region.
Background and Prosecution
This case has historical precedents. Among those previously charged in the same federal case was Cuban national Yovany Ciero, a former sergeant in the Cuban Armed Forces and a worker at a meat processing plant in Algona, Iowa.
Ciero was found guilty in May 2025 of multiple charges, including three counts of wire fraud, 23 counts of money laundering, one for conducting a monetary transaction with illicitly obtained funds, and another for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The Department of Justice revealed that Ciero was one of six intermediaries or "bundlers" in the scheme. His role involved recruiting individuals, obtaining their personal information for fraudulent applications, and providing this data to those submitting the applications to financial institutions participating in the PPP.
Authorities pointed out that Ciero and over a hundred Cuban immigrants received fraudulent loans by falsely claiming self-employment and annual earnings of around $100,000, despite actually working at the meat processing plant or other jobs.
Ciero was sentenced in December 2025 to four years in federal prison and ordered to pay $212,293 in restitution. The Department of Justice noted that he was the fifth former worker from Iowa's meat processing plants sentenced for involvement in the scheme.
Federal Crackdown on Pandemic-Related Fraud
The investigation resurfaced this Monday as part of a broader federal effort to combat fraud related to pandemic relief programs.
According to CBS News, the operation announced by authorities targets more than 160 defendants associated with an estimated $245 million in taxpayer losses.
Vance also announced the suspension of approximately 870,000 borrowers from the Small Business Administration (SBA). These individuals are now barred from accessing certain loans and federal programs due to suspected fraud.
Blanche used the Iowa case to highlight the scope of ongoing investigations and warned that the Department of Justice will continue to pursue those who have defrauded federal programs, including individuals who have left the United States to evade authorities.
Understanding the Fraud Scheme Involving Cuban Immigrants
What was the main accusation against Adrián Rafael Pupo Pérez and Helen Yaima Leyva Santiesteban?
They were accused of being involved in a massive fraud scheme involving 470 fraudulent applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), falsely claiming loans on behalf of over 100 Cuban immigrants.
How did the fraud scheme operate?
The scheme involved submitting fraudulent PPP loan applications using fake claims of self-employment and inflated income figures for over 100 Cuban immigrants, aiming to secure over $4.5 million in public funds.
What role did Yovany Ciero play in the fraud scheme?
Yovany Ciero acted as an intermediary or "bundler," recruiting individuals and collecting their personal information for the fraudulent PPP applications, which were then submitted to financial institutions.