Rapids Theatre Owner Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges in COVID Relief Case
John L. Hutchins, the owner of the Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls, has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in a scheme to obtain COVID-19 relief funds.
John L. Hutchins, the owner of the Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls, has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in connection with a scheme to obtain more than $1.8 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds. The plea was entered before Judge Meredith A. Vacca, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo.
Hutchins, 71, of Lewiston, admitted to working with co-defendant Roberto Soliman and others to submit fraudulent loan applications between March 2020 and March 2024. The loans were obtained under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG), which were established as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency financial assistance to businesses impacted by the pandemic.
Federal prosecutors stated that Hutchins and Soliman sought funds under multiple business entities owned by Hutchins, including:
Rapids Theatre Niagara Falls, USA, Inc.
1711 Main, LLC
Bear Creek Entertainment, LLC
Hutch Enterprises, LLC
The Hutchins Agency, LLC
CWE Entertainment, Corp. (owned by Soliman)
Authorities reported that between March and August 2020, Hutchins and Soliman received five EIDL loans totaling $779,500. They also secured $989,905 in SVOG funds, along with two PPP loans: $74,838 from Bank on Buffalo and $41,140 from Northwest Bank. Prosecutors allege that the loan applications contained false information regarding the revenue and expenses of the businesses.
Hutchins faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Charges remain pending against Soliman.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the New York State Office of Professional Discipline.
A sentencing date for Hutchins has not yet been scheduled.