Chicago's own Vincent Duenes, a 24-year-old resident, has been handed a sentence of probation and is on the hook for a hefty restitution after pleading guilty to swiping $60,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office reported. Duenes roped himself into a Class 2 felony theft charge and will be tightening his belt to pay back the pilfered funds.

In a crunch for businesses nationwide, the SBA hands out lifelines like the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) to keep them afloat. But, as revealed in last week’s proceedings, Duenes saw an opportunity for a quick buck, exploiting the pandemic-prompted aid to the tune of $60,000 with sham applications. According to a statement from the Illinois Attorney General's office, Duenes used his own personal information and that of his friends to fiddle with the system.

Circuit Court Judge James Novy has thrown the book at the young fraudster, albeit with a touch of leniency. Duenes was given a chance to remain in the community, sentenced to two years of probation and 100 days in shackles with the Cook County Sheriff's Work Alternative Program – as close as it gets to a get-out-of-jail-free card. "This sentence recoups taxpayer funds for the Small Business Administration, which provides important support to businesses in Illinois and across the nation," Raoul stated. "I am committed to ensuring that individuals are held accountable for exploiting government programs for personal gain."

The case, which saw the light of day thanks to the FBI in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois, found its way to court by virtue of Assistant Attorney General Samantha Cain and her team at the Special Prosecutions Bureau. Duenes' pricey misadventure now serves as a reminder of the price of toying with government programs and the vigilant effort to keep them honest.