Florida Judge Revokes Citizenship in COVID Fraud Case

A federal judge in Florida has revoked the U.S. citizenship of a Haitian-born man who orchestrated a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme targeting COVID-19 relief funds while concealing his criminal activity during the naturalization process.

U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith ordered the denaturalization of Joff Stenn Wroy Philossaint, 35, of Fort Lauderdale, after determining that he obtained citizenship through false statements. The ruling, announced by the Department of Justice, follows Philossaint's conviction on federal fraud charges. Prosecutors said the decision underscores the consequences of immigration fraud amid efforts to safeguard public benefits programs.

Between April 2020 and May 2021, Philossaint and associates submitted about 40 fraudulent loan applications under the Paycheck Protection Program, a federal initiative designed to support businesses and employees during the pandemic. The applications contained false information about business revenues, payrolls and employee numbers, authorities said. The scheme secured approximately 3.8 million in funds, with Philossaint personally receiving around 549,000 through kickbacks from participants, according to court records.