RICHLAND, Wash. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced that BNL Technical Services, LLC, a subcontractor for the Hanford Site has been sentenced for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief funding.
Chief U.S. District Judge Stanley A. Bastian ordered BNL to pay $493,865 in restitution and sentenced the company to one year of probation. BNL’s owner, Wilson Pershing Stevenson III, from Nashville, Tennessee, paid $1,105,498 as part of a civil fraud settlement.
The fraudulent activities took place between 2020 and 2021, when BNL, a subcontractor for Hanford Site, applied for and received a $493,865 Paycheck Protection Program loan. Despite BNL’s labor costs being covered by the Department of Energy (DOE), the company sought PPP funding.
Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Barker emphasized the importance of accountability, stating, “Our COVID-19 Strike Force continues to hold accountable those that fraudulently obtained and misused federal funds set aside to help small businesses in our community.”
Lewe F. Sessions, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations at the DOE, noted the impact of such fraud, stating, “The misuse of critical emergency funds intended for those personally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic defrauds taxpayers.”
The investigation involved the DOE’s Office of Inspector General, the Small Business Administration, and the VA Office of Inspector General. This collaborative effort underscores the commitment to protecting relief programs and ensuring justice.
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