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Florida man uses $7.2M from PPP to buy mansion, Maserati and more, feds say

Don Cisternino was indicted on 2 counts of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, illegal monetary transaction

A Bradenton man is accused of using some of $7.2 million he received in Paycheck Protection Program funds to buy a mansion in Chuluota, according to court records. (WKMG)

A Bradenton man is accused of using $7.2 million he received from the federal Paycheck Protection Program to buy a mansion in Chuluota, Fla., according to court records.

Don Cisternino was indicted on two counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft and three counts of illegal monetary transaction, WKMG-TV reported.

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Records show Cisternino established MagnifiCo in 2014, which was listed as a consulting company with few or no employees.

Court documents indicate Cisternino applied for Paycheck Protection Program loan established as part of the federal CARES Act relief bill and claimed MagnifiCo had 441 employees with an average monthly payroll of $2.88 million.

Records show after the application the Small Business Administration issued $7.2 million in PPP funds to MagnifiCo.

Prosecutors accuse Cisternino of using the money to buy a Maserati, a $89,000 Lincoln Navigator, a $251,000 Mercedes-Benz and a $3.1 million home in Chuluota, which is in Seminole County about 20 miles northeast of Orlando.


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