A Niagara Falls man has pleaded guilty to defrauding federal COVID-19 relief programs out of more than $1.8 million, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York announced Monday.
Roberto Soliman, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud before Judge Meredith A. Vacca. He now faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Between March 2020 and March 2024, Soliman and co-defendant John Hutchins conspired to submit fraudulent loan applications under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG)—all part of the CARES Act’s emergency financial assistance efforts.
Prosecutors said the pair submitted false revenue and expense figures while applying for loans under six businesses, five owned by Hutchins and one by Soliman. The companies included:
- Rapids Theatre Niagara Falls, USA, Inc.
- 1711 Main, LLC
- Bear Creek Entertainment, LLC
- Hutch Enterprises, LLC
- The Hutchins Agency, LLC
- CWE Entertainment, Corp. (owned by Soliman)
Together, they obtained five EIDL loans totaling $779,500; SVOG loans totaling $989,905; and two PPP loans from Bank on Buffalo and Northwest Bank totaling $74,838 and $41,140, respectively.
John Hutchins has already pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
The investigation was led by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the New York State Office of Professional Discipline.
Soliman is scheduled to be sentenced on October 29.
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