Taiwanese man gets 6 years in prison in COVID-19 fund fraud

NEW YORK (AP) — A Taiwanese man has been sentenced to six years in prison after admitting to defrauding a program designed to rescue businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. Sheng-Wen Cheng was sentenced in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday for multiple fraud schemes, including some frauds that occurred before the coronavirus surfaced. The 25-year-old Manhattan resident pleaded guilty in April to major fraud against the U.S., along with bank, securities and wire fraud charges. Authorities say he applied for over $7 million in aid for small businesses, saying he had over 200 workers and $1.5 million in monthly payroll. Prosecutors say his companies had no more than 14 employees.