Publix employee arrested after fraudulently receiving $2,000 from Polk CARES program, deputies say
LAKELAND, Fla. - Polk County deputies announced the 11th suspect arrested in their investigation to track down residents who fraudulently filed for COVID-19 relief funds when they didn’t qualify.
Detectives said they arrested 33-year-old Saget Genoret, a Lakeland resident. They said he submitted a fake letter from his employer, Publix, indicating his hours were cut due to the pandemic, however, it wasn’t true.
On Friday, Sheriff Grady Judd said ten people were arrested for their involvement in lying to obtain funding from the Polk CARES program, which was launched to help residents financially impacted by the pandemic by providing funds from the federal CARES Act. The funding for residents could be used for housing expenses, such as rent and utilities.
Genoret is the 11th suspect in the case and faces charges of scheme to defraud, grand theft and criminal use of personal identification.
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Last week, the sheriff said there will likely be additional arrests.
"If you violated the law and got money, we may not know it at this point of the investigation," Judd added, "but we are continuing to go through documents…and we will get to you. I would give that money back before we figure it out."