Key takeaways:
- Sweetheart Island is a two-acre uninhabited island off the coast of a small Gulf Coast town in Florida.
- Patrick Parker Walsh is currently serving a five and a half year sentence in federal prison for stealing nearly $8 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds, some of which he used to purchase Sweetheart Island.
- The U.S. Department of Justice has been cracking down on pandemic fraudsters, but it is clear that more needs to be done to protect public funds from criminals.
A two-acre uninhabited island off the coast of a small Gulf Coast town in Florida is the unlikely backdrop for a story of crime and punishment. Sweetheart Island, with its mangroves, cabbage palms and red cedars, is home to a freshwater spring and offers stunning views of the Withlacoochee Bay and the promise of dazzling sunsets.
Patrick Parker Walsh, however, will not be able to enjoy the beauty of the island. He is currently serving a five and a half year sentence in federal prison for stealing nearly $8 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds, some of which he used to purchase Sweetheart Island.
Walsh is one of thousands of fraudsters who have taken advantage of the pandemic to commit crimes. Associated Press reporter Richard Lardner recently kayaked to Sweetheart Island to document the story.
The U.S. Department of Justice has been cracking down on pandemic fraudsters, but it is clear that more needs to be done to protect public funds from criminals. In the meantime, Sweetheart Island remains a reminder of the consequences of such crimes.
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