Ex-cop caught on camera fleeing after PPP fraud arrest
A former Miami police officer, Djimy Joseph, was released on bond after facing charges linked to a scheme involving fraudulent COVID relief funds. Arrested Tuesday and later released from Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $20,500 bond. Now, Joseph faces severe allegations including money laundering and making false official statements.
At 47, Joseph was caught in a snare of legal troubles. When the Florida Department of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco did a routine inspection, they uncovered he owned Yoa’s Café Inc.. In turn, Yoa’s operates as Sabor Latino Bar & Grill. This finding sparked controversy. After all, state laws prohibit active law enforcement officers from owning businesses that sell or serve alcohol.
Further investigations led by the State Attorney’s Office revealed a deeper web of deceit involving Joseph’s ownership of additional businesses, including Djimy Properties, LLC, and DJ Motors Transportation and Logistics, LLC. These revelations came alongside allegations that Joseph fraudulently secured over $246,000 in COVID Relief loans under the CARES Act by inflating employee numbers and falsifying payroll data.
Joseph, who also founded the Fondation L.O.V.E. Corp. He purportedly used these funds for personal gain rather than the intended economic support during the pandemic.
Katherine Fernandez Rundle, the State Attorney, emphasized that such corruption could not be tolerated. She highlighted that Joseph’s actions represented a deliberate abuse of his role for personal financial advantage, betraying the public trust inherent in his former position.
As the case unfolds, Joseph intends to retain private legal representation to contest the charges. His next court dates are pending as the investigation continues to unravel the extent of the alleged fraud and corruption.
Source: Local 10
Ex-cop caught on camera fleeing after PPP fraud arrest
