Garner businessman faces 9 counts of fraud in COVID-19 relief loans

A local businessman at the center of a WRAL Investigation is facing federal charges for COVID-19 relief fraud. The charges come more than a year after WRAL Investigates took concerns to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Following a tip, WRAL Investigates cross-checked databases for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), comparing names, owners and addresses of local businesses that received loans.

After searching through hundreds of thousands of loans in North Carolina alone, WRAL Investigates found seven companies in Garner and Raleigh that received 13 disaster loans totaling almost $1.5 million, most of which were completely forgiven.

Research by WRAL Investigates showed only one company had a physical location: The Insurance Centers, located at 1307 5th Ave., in Garner's Forest Hills shopping center.

Last year, WRAL News attempted to contact Wilson Olivera, the owner, about the findings and never received a response.

Olivera was later arrested by FBI agents and is now in federal custody. A photo sent to WRAL News shows Olivera being led away in handcuffs.

A newly-unsealed indictment reflects WRAL Investigates' findings and confirms Olivera was using "shell companies" without active business operations to get loans.

Investigators found Olivera filed false tax returns in his loan applications and submitted false quarterly reports never received by the state's unemployment office. Olivera is also accused of using false payroll records to convince banks to approve and forgive his loans.

People found guilty of PPP fraud could face a variety of federal criminal charges, including wire fraud and money laundering. Aside from paying fines, the government can also file forfeiture notices to seize bank accounts and property if they can link it to PPP funding.

Olivera, who faces nine counts of wire fraud, will remain in custody until a detention hearing scheduled for July 15, when a judge will decide if he can await his trial out of jail.

U.S. Attorney Michael Easley Jr. previously told WRAL News tens of millions of dollars – if not more – ended up in the wrong hands during the pandemic and the government wants it back. Easley said his federal task force will investigate people who took money meant for struggling businesses to survive the pandemic.

"At this very moment we have over 150 subjects under investigation for COVID relief fraud in this office alone," Easley said. "Over $50 million at issue and I intend to get back every penny of that money ... so it’s not going to get somebody a pool or a Lamborghini or a toy."

In 2020, Robert Royster, the owner of Ruckus Pizza, Pasta and Spirits, explained to WRAL News how his business used PPP loans for legitimate reasons in a 2020 interview with WRAL Investigates.

“It paid our rent. It paid our power bills,” Royster said. “It paid the staff we had until we could kind of get our feet back under us.”