A Miami real estate broker is facing federal fraud charges for allegedly using COVID-19 relief funds to finance an extravagant lifestyle.
Daniela Rendon, 31, is accused of siphoning off $381,000 in funds from the Small Business Administration and Paycheck Protection Program to pay for private jets, luxury yachts, fast cars, designer clothes, and cosmetic procedures.
Rendon did not shy away from the amount of wealth she had accumulated, regularly flaunting herself on her social media accounts with her 33,000 followers.
Rendon, who referred to herself as an “Ultra Luxury” real estate agent on LinkedIn, allegedly falsified business data to get the money. She submitted the false information to lenders in New Jersey and Idaho, with the loans paid directly to her corporate bank account.
The US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida said that Rendon then transferred the payments to herself and her inner circle of friends. The indictment also notes that Rendon applied for her business loans through the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program for $371,000 and the Economic Injury Disaster Relief program for $10,000.
Rendon, a mother of three, allegedly used the money to lease a 2021 Bentley Bentayga, rent a luxury apartment in Biscayne Bay, pay for cosmetic procedures, and fix a pair of her designer shoes.
Rendon’s Instagram account, which boasts 33,000 followers, chronicled her lavish lifestyle. She regularly posted pictures of herself in designer outfits and surrounded by luxury cars and yachts.
Rendon has been charged with seven counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering, and one count of aggravated identity theft. She faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
A judge set her bond at $150,000 after prosecutors deemed her to be a flight risk and likely to head back to her native Colombia.
COVID FRAUD CHARGES: Federal prosecutors say Daniela Rendon, 31, leased a Bentley and rented a luxury apartment with money from fraudulent COVID loans.
If convicted, the Miami woman could spend up to 20 years living rent-free — in federal prison. https://t.co/2kCZMKI1bs
— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) February 3, 2023
