BOSTON – A Massachusetts businessman pleaded guilty yesterday to misappropriating COVID-19 relief funds for personal use.
Jesse Lelievre, 41, of North Andover, pleaded guilty to theft of government property. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Dec. 19, 2024. Lelievre was charged in July 2024.
Lelievre was the owner and manager of Paramount Plumbing & Heating LLC a Massachusetts company that provided plumbing, heating, and related services. In 2021, Lelievre applied for a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) on behalf of Paramount Plumbing & Heating. Lelievre obtained the loan through the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program, which provided loans to small businesses that suffered substantial economic injury due to the COVID-19 pandemic…