{"id":2689083,"date":"2026-10-21T15:44:46","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T19:44:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/more-fraud-colorado-man-who-swindled-millions-in-pandemic-relief-learns-his-fate-in-court\/"},"modified":"2026-10-21T15:44:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T19:44:46","slug":"more-fraud-colorado-man-who-swindled-millions-in-pandemic-relief-learns-his-fate-in-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/more-fraud-colorado-man-who-swindled-millions-in-pandemic-relief-learns-his-fate-in-court\/","title":{"rendered":"More Fraud: Colorado Man Who Swindled Millions in Pandemic Relief Learns His Fate in Court"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmore-fraud-colorado-man-who-swindled-millions-in-pandemic-relief-learns-his-fate-in-court%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2689083&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A Colorado man has been sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for COVID-19 pandemic-related fraud.<\/p>\n<p>Joshua Lybolt, 47, of Castle Rock, must also pay $5,346,802.61 in restitution and a $50,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-co\/pr\/castle-rock-man-sentenced-20-months-federal-prison-more-5-million-restitution\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according<\/a> to a Justice Department news release.<\/p>\n<p>The plea agreement stated that from April 2020 to August 2022, Lybolt \u201capplied for and received $4,950,000 in COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and $41,667 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds from an SBA-approved lender.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lybolt ran businesses in Indiana that had gone bankrupt, then moved to Colorado and applied for fraudulent loans on behalf of those failed enterprises.<\/p>\n<p>He falsely certified in loan applications that the entities suffered losses during the pandemic, even though they were not operational when relief loans were being offered.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the government funds he received paid for personal items like a 2022 Porsche Taycan, a 2022 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray convertible, a 2021 Ford Bronco, a 2016 Land Rover Range Rover, country club memberships, a luxury vacation club, and several Colorado properties.<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-embed\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Man sentenced for stealing COVID relief funds\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4bKl8bLJTIo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Peter McNeilly, United States Attorney for the District of Colorado, said, \u201cMr. Lybolt stole from hardworking American taxpayers so he could masquerade as something he is not: a successful businessman.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am proud of the work our team did to hold this fraudster accountable and return significant funds back to the federal government.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski added, \u201cThe United States offered emergency financial assistance to Americans and businesses dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. But this defendant misdirected those funds for personal luxuries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe FBI will continue to hold anyone accountable who abuses taxpayer dollars,\u201d she declared.<\/p>\n<p>President Donald Trump has made federal fraud a top priority during his second term and even established a nationwide task force, currently being led by Vice President J.D. Vance.<\/p>\n<p>The task force has already <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/jd-vances-task-force-uncovers-6-billion-potential-fraud-begins-taking-action-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">discovered<\/a> billions of dollars in potential fraud through government contracts.<\/p>\n<p>The investigators reported finding 895 contracts awarded to 392 businesses that they believe could be fraudulent, totaling $6.3 billion \u201cwith $3 billion still left to be [awarded].\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The news of Lybolt\u2019s sentencing came just one day before Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/white-house-launches-unprecedented-initiative-pay-americans-expose-fraud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announced<\/a> a new payment system for whistleblowers who expose government fraud schemes and corruption.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday, I\u2019m thrilled to announce the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program,\u201d he told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll Americans will now be able to go to Fraud.gov and report cases of corruption and theft of taxpayer dollars in their communities, all via a new website,\u201d Trump added. \u201cIf you turn somebody in, and let\u2019s say you report and you find $1 billion, we are giving a commission to that person of 1 percent. It\u2019s a lot of money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The president then blamed \u201ccrooked politicians\u201d and \u201ccrooked [attorneys general]\u201d for stealing \u201ctrillions\u201d of taxpayer dollars, specifically citing New York and Minnesota.<\/p>\n<p>The commander-in-chief gave the first award of the initiative to conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley, who was in attendance alongside Vance in the Oval Office.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNick has been at the forefront of the battle to stop the horrible plague that\u2019s happened within our country. There\u2019s never been anything like it,\u201d Trump explained<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNick used his popular YouTube channel to reveal that the Somali community\u2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was stealing billions and billions of dollars, taxpayer money, through fraudulent childcare centers and other scams.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He also credited Shirley with helping effectuate the arrests of some of the 115 \u201cfraudsters\u201d since Trump resumed office, then accused Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison of being complicit in the fraud.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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Joshua Lybolt, 47, of Castle Rock, must also pay $5,346,802.61 in restitution and a $50,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, according to a Justice Department news release.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2689084,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Joshua-Lybolt.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2689083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Joshua-Lybolt.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2689083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2689083"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2689083\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2689084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2689083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2689083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2689083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}