Investigations

USAO, Western District of Kentucky - Press Release

On January 18, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky indicted Yeniseis Saavedra and Alien Saavedra for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and disaster fraud. Yeniseis Saavedra was also indicted for making a false statement to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and aggravated identity theft. Both individuals were arrested on January 19, 2023.

The indictment alleges that Yeniseis and Alien Saavedra conspired to defraud freight factoring companies and freight brokers by submitting false bills of lading and other documentation. Additionally, they fraudulently applied for and received lost wage assistance payments, authorized by a presidential memorandum resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, by failing to report Alien Saavedra's earnings. Yeniseis Saavedra also made a false statement to FMCSA on Form MCSA-1 to conceal a previous filing, and filed for and received lost wage assistance payments on behalf of another individual without that person’s knowledge.

DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with the Department of Labor-OIG and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.