Thursday, October 1, 2026
John Bolden, a former New York City Police Department detective from Valley Stream, was sentenced June 3 to 48 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program.
The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Diane Gujarati in federal court in Brooklyn. In addition to the prison term, Bolden was ordered to pay $303,138 in restitution and forfeit $112,002. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy on Feb. 18.
The sentence was announced by Joseph Nocella Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office.
“Despite being a police officer sworn to uphold the law, the defendant organized a scheme that enabled dozens of individuals, including clients, family members and NYPD co-workers, to obtain millions in federal funds using fictitious tax records,” Nocella said in a news release. “Bolden brazenly took advantage of a COVID relief program created to help struggling businesses survive an unprecedented national crisis.”
According to federal prosecutors, Bolden owned partnership interests in a tax-preparation business franchise and participated in a scheme that ran from May 2020 to October 2022 to fraudulently obtain PPP funds from the Small Business Administration. Bolden helped submit online loan applications containing false information and prepared fictitious IRS Schedule C forms that misrepresented applicants’ employment, gross income and net income. The applications were submitted on behalf of himself, more than 65 other individuals and two associates connected to the case. Bolden sought nearly $3 million in PPP funds and successfully obtained at least several hundred thousand dollars through the scheme.
One application involved former NYPD Detective Anthony Carreira, who authorities said submitted false documentation to obtain PPP funds. Another involved Christian McKenzie, Bolden’s cousin, who authorities said obtained a fraudulent PPP loan and referred additional applicants to Bolden in exchange for proceeds from the scheme.
Carreira was sentenced on March 6 to time served. McKenzie is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14.
The investigation involved assistance from the Suffolk County Police Department, the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General and the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau.
