The Department of Justice has filed charges against a former U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) staffer accused of creating a fake company to siphon off federal coronavirus relief funds for personal use.
The Allegations
According to federal prosecutors, Yusuf Akoll, who served as a Senior Procurement Contract Specialist at USAID, orchestrated the scheme between March and August 2021. Court filings allege that Akoll falsified records and made fraudulent claims that allowed him to secure two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling about $16,666.
The loans were obtained through a company called Naagode Consulting LLC, which Akoll registered in Virginia in late 2020. To meet eligibility requirements, he allegedly backdated the company’s founding to January 2020 and falsely claimed the business had generated $40,000 in revenue the previous year. In reality, the company had no income and was not operational before the pandemic.
A Possible Plea Deal
The charges were filed through an “information” — a type of filing that typically indicates a plea agreement is under negotiation. If convicted, Akoll faces penalties for making false statements and defrauding a federal relief program.