Georgia man, California woman sentenced in COVID relief scam

MIAMI (AP) — Prosecutors say a 28-year-old Georgia man and a 63-year-old California woman have received federal prison sentences for fraudulently obtaining coronavirus relief funds through a program designed to help small businesses across the nation stay afloat. Dennes Garcia of Atlanta, was sentenced Wednesday in a Florida federal court to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty July 6 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Cindi Denton of Eastvale, California, was sentenced Oct. 8 to six months in prison and 12 months of home confinement on similar charges. Prosecutors say both obtained the Paycheck Protection Program funds based on false information about their companies’ payrolls.