Former Lehigh Acres couple get prison in COVID fraud case; wife to give birth before reporting

A judge labeled a former Lehigh Acres married couple's COVID fraud case as "greed" while sentencing them Wednesday to federal prison despite the woman being newly pregnant.

A federal indictment filed Aug. 25 against Amber Rewis Bruey, 35, and Anthony James Bruey, 36, charged the couple with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and illegal monetary transactions.

The couple lived in Lehigh Acres when the fraud was taking place and moved to North Carolina shortly before the indictment was issued.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber on Wednesday admonished the couple for the theft of more than $881,000 in COVID-19 relief funds saying, "This is called greed. This should be an episode of American Greed."

COVID-19 relief fraud: Six cases in SWFL include one sentenced, five active

Previous reporting: Former Lehigh Acres resident joins husband in pleading guilty on COVID-19 relief fraud case

Also: Federal indictment filed against Lehigh Acres couple; charges involve COVID fund fraud

The government said the Brueys, starting around April 2020, conspired to submit  fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Program applications to the Small Business Administration and PPP loan servicers and lenders.

The loan applications contained numerous false representations, including criminal history, dates of operation, number of employees, and gross revenues  In support of their fraudulent applications, the Brueys submitted false and fictitious federal income tax documents.

The government said among the things they purchased with the money they collected were a 2019 GMC Yukon XL, 2021 Chevrolet Spark LS, 2020 Honda Talon, 2020 Polaris RZR, and a $211,457 residence in North Carolina.

The couple pleaded guilty earlier in 2022, Anthony Bruey in February and Amber Bruey in March.

Anthony Bruey was the first to be sentenced in Judge Barber's Fort Myers courtroom.

Barber agreed that Anthony Bruey had expressed genuine remorse for what he did, but had done it anyway. The judge also said it was his belief that Amber Bruey was the actual force behind the fraud and was more "culpable on paperwork and signing documents."

The judge said the level of theft carried out via 30 different fraudulent applications resulted in a hefty haul.

"We're talking about a lot of money here," Barber said. "A lot of money to steal."

After Barber handed out a guideline-adhering sentence of 51 months on all the charges to Anthony Bruey, he admonished him to be cautious while he waits to report to a federal prison in the North Carolina area on Aug. 15.

"Don't do anything dumb, Mr. Bruey," Barber said. "I'll max you out."

Moments after the sentence was read, a visibly shaken and sobbing Anthony Bruey hugged a supporter and then quickly walked from the courtroom, leaving his wife to hear her sentence.

Amber Bruey sat stoically throughout the hearing, and after, showing no emotion when Barber pronounced her sentence.

During a previous hearing in June, the Brueys' lawyer, Landon Miller, said that if the court imposed a prison sentence, Anthony Bruey wished to go to prison in place of his wife so that Amber Bruey could take care of their four children and the fifth, due in late February.

On Wednesday Barber said that such a move was not workable and that the couple was given enough time to work things out for child care.

The judge said that he believed that Amber Bruey was a good mother but that stealing large sums of money overshadowed that fact.

Evidence that Anthony Bruey abused Amber Bruey, brought during the June hearing, was also discounted by Barber, especially, he said, since she became pregnant while facing prison time.

"What bothers me the most is that this was done without thinking what this means to the family. That's just irresponsible," the judge said.

Barber sentenced Amber Bruey to 48 months in federal prison but gave her six months, until April 3, after the Feb. 25 due date for the couple's baby, to report to whatever federal prison is available near where they now live in Farmville, N.C., about 80 miles east of Raleigh.

Barber wished the Bruey's good luck with the pregnancy.

The Bruey's were given the same after-sentence conditions including three years probation, mental health treatment program, no new credit or major purchases without approval of the probation officer, drug testing and restitution of the $881,659.35 they acquired via fraudulent applications to three banks and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The couple has two weeks to appeal.

As they left the federal courthouse holding hands, the Bruey's were mum to questions tossed their way by media.

As they waited to enter an elevator at the city parking garage, with Amber Bruey standing quietly next to him, Anthony Bruey told reporters and videographers to back off.

"It is what it is," he said. "It's justified, it's justified, it's justified. To the whole community and everybody, we're sorry. We're paying our consequences. Leave us alone. Please."

aun: MichaelBraunNP (Facebook), @MichaelBraunNP (Twitter) or mbraun@news-press.com. 

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: COVID fraud case: Ex-Lehigh Acres couple sentenced to federal prison