ORLANDO, Fla. – A friend of former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg will plead guilty to federal charges related to prostitution and COVID-19 relief loan fraud, according to a plea agreement signed Monday.
Nabil Dajani faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence for the most serious charge of enticing two adults to travel across state lines to engage in prostitution.
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Two other federal charges — conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and submitting a false claim — each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Prosecutors intend to seek a reduced sentence, in part because Dajani has agreed to provide “substantial assistance” in other federal investigations.
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“Mr. Dajani truly regrets his actions and has owned up to his involvement. He remains available to assist the government,” said Dajani’s attorney, Mark NeJame. “He looks forward to putting this behind him and moving forward with his life.”
According to the plea agreement, Dajani conspired with Greenberg and others to submit fraudulent applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration seeking loans intended to help companies hurt during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Greenberg is serving an 11-year prison sentence for several federal offenses, including child sex trafficking and aggravated identity theft.
Shortly after authorities arrested Greenberg in June 2020, the former tax collector fraudulently obtained nearly $433,000 in government loans. Greenberg later pleaded guilty to that offense and paid back the money.
Four days before Greenberg’s arrest, Dajani sent text messages to Greenberg, saying he had an “easy” and “quick” way for Greenberg to get a loan, according to the plea agreement.
Dajani put Greenberg in touch with an SBA loan officer who knowingly processed fraudulent loan applications in exchange for money.
That government employee, who has not been named in court documents, is expected to be criminally charged at a later date.
Besides receiving thousands of dollars from Greenberg for helping the former tax collector obtain fraudulent loans, Dajani was also accused of submitting fraudulent loan applications himself.
Separately, Dajani admits to enticing two “consenting adults” to travel from North Carolina to Florida in 2016 to engage in prostitution, according to the plea agreement.
An unnamed co-conspirator also engaged in sexual activities with the prostitutes, court records show.
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