Ex-NYPD Det. John Bolden, of Valley Stream, pleads guilty to COVID-related fraud scheme

A former NYPD detective from Valley Stream faces up to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty on Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court to his role in a COVID-19 pandemic-related Paycheck Protection Program fraud scheme, officials said.

Federal authorities said John Bolden, 47, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. Two co-defendants, Christian McKenzie, 48, of Wheatley Heights, and another former NYPD detective, Anthony Carreira, 43, of Staten Island, previously pleaded guilty in the case. They each face up to 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors alleged the scheme orchestrated by the trio caused a loss of more than $1 million to financial institutions and the Small Business Administration.

A law enforcement source said Bolden filed for retirement in October, while suspended, and said Carreira retired from the NYPD in 2023.

The Paycheck Protection Program was created by Congress in 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Officials alleged that Bolden and Carreira, both while employed by the NYPD, owned partnership interests in a tax preparation business — and that between May 2020 and October 2022, Bolden "engaged in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by working with his clients to fraudulently obtain PPP funds."

It was alleged Bolden not only secured funds for himself, but for his co-defendants and more than 65 individuals by "helping submit online loan applications" that contained "materially false and fraudulent information."

One application, federal officials said on Wednesday, belonged to Carreira, who they said "knowingly submitted false documentation to obtain PPP funds."

Officials said McKenzie, who is Bolden's cousin, also fraudulently obtained a PPP loan and "steered other applicants to Bolden" — in "exchange for fraudulent PPP proceeds."

As part of the scheme, officials said, Bolden prepared fictitious IRS Schedule C documents, which accompanied loan applications.

Those documents, officials said on Wednesday, contained "false information about his, his co-defendants' and his clients' places of employment, gross income, and net income."

A Newsday analysis found at least 35 residents of Nassau and Suffolk counties have been arrested for bilking federal and state business-relief programs and that more than $100 million was fleeced for programs such as the PPP loans, COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Employee Retention between 2020 and 2023.

In a prepared statement on Wednesday, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr. said: "The Paycheck Protection Program was created to keep small businesses afloat during an unprecedented national emergency. John Bolden, who swore to uphold the law as a police officer, instead shamefully broke the law and exploited the COVID-19 pandemic for personal gain. Our office remains committed to protecting taxpayer-funded programs and prosecuting those who steal from them."

Newsday's James T. Madore contributed to this story.