Manhasset Hills resident William Felcon pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars in pandemic relief loans on Tuesday, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Felcon and his nephew, Thomas A. Felcon of Howard Beach, received federal loans for their companies beginning in April 2020 through June 2021, officials said.
William Felcon owns A L One Inc., classified as a single-family housing construction business online, and A L One Consulting Inc., officials said. Both companies are located in New Hyde Park.
Thomas A. Felcon aided both New Hyde Park companies with the hiring, supervision and payment of subcontractors while also controlling The Nebula Group and GPT Property Consultants Inc, according to officials.
William Felcon will be sentenced to 50 hours of community service on July 25 after pleading guilty to one count of second-degree grand larceny, officials said.
Thomas A. Felcon will be sentenced to six months in jail and three years of probation on August 15 after pleading guilty to attempted grand larceny in the second degree, according to officials.
William Felcon will forfeit $175,000 seized from the corporate accounts he was in control of and an additional $36,000 out of pocket to pay back the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The companies Thomas A. Felcon oversaw will forfeit roughly $650,000 which will be paid back to the Small Business Association and cover the $409,000 stolen from the Paycheck Protection Program established during the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.
“While New York businesses were in dire need of financial support during the pandemic, William and Thomas Felcon defrauded the system and obtained loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration by lying on their applications,” Bragg said in a statement. “We will not allow public programs to be raided and used as a personal piggybank for greedy individuals and companies.”
Efforts to reach officials for further comment were unavailing.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office launched a wiretap investigation in October 2020 until June 2021, officials said.
The wiretap investigation was prompted by law enforcement officials noticing suspect financial transactions by various drywall construction companies based in New York City, the office said.
The two entered not-guilty pleas and were released on their own recognizance in late 2022.
William Felcon’s attorney Murray Richman said in December his client “is a really good man,” but told Newsday this week that Felcon “was drawn into it by others” and “he’s a sickly man.”
