A Colorado Springs man was found guilty of financial crimes in federal court for receiving more than $500,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, according to a press release from United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.

On Monday, Charles Lacona Jr., 67, was convicted of two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering at a federal court in Denver for receiving $513,732.20 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. To receive the funds, according to the press release, Lacona falsified tax documents and payroll reports.

The press release states that Lacona used part of the fraudulent PPP loan to buy a Cadillac for nearly $70,000.

“This is another case of someone using for personal gain a program meant to help people suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Matt Kirsch, the United States Attorney for the District of Colorado, said via press release. “I want the public to know that we are aggressively prosecuting people who stole from this relief program.”

“These federal programs were designed to help families and small businesses facing financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Tom Demeo, the Acting Special Agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office, said via the press release. “Through our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who attempt to exploit federal relief programs for their personal benefit.”

A spokesperson for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado told the Gazette that “more than a dozen” people have been convicted of crimes relating to illegally taking COVID pandemic relief funding in the state. Nationally, the government has seized more than a billion dollars in COVID-19 related fraud, a spokesperson for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado said.

According to court documents Lacona’s trial lasted five days before he was found guilty on all three counts. Lacona’s sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.