Members of the Serious Fraud Office for Ontario (SFO) are announcing two more arrests in their fraud investigation into COVID-19 relief programs.

In fall 2020, the Ontario government announced and began rolling out small business relief programs to help small businesses with operating costs and loss of revenue due to mandatory COVID-19 pandemic closures.

After reviewing the applications of two people from the GTA, the Ministry of Finance deemed them suspicious and referred them to the SFO for investigation.

It is alleged relief funding from the government was applied for through fictitious or ineligible businesses. In these cases, the grant found to be exploited was the COVID-19 Energy Cost Rebate program.

As a result of the investigation, two individuals have been arrested and charged with offences contrary to the Criminal Code:

Theophilus OGUNKUNLE, aged 51 years of Woodbridge, is charged with:

· Fraud Over $5,000

· Utter Forged Document

· Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000

Omolola OGUNKUNLE, aged 36 years of Woodbridge, is charged with:

· Fraud Over $5,000

· Utter Forged Document

· Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000

The accused have been released and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Newmarket in May.