Arkansas businessman Tyler K. Andrews, 39, has been sentenced in federal court in Spokane to over 16 years in prison and also ordered to pay over $20 million for leading a nationwide COVID-relief scam that was uncovered by the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force.

U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice ordered Andrews to serve 196 months in federal prison, repay $16.3 million to the U.S. Small Business Administration, and forfeit another $4.3 million. The judge also imposed three years of supervised release after Andrews serves the prison time.

According to the sentencing announcement issued by the office of Spokane-based U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref, between June 2020 and May 2022, Andrews directed, assisted, and facilitated the submission of dozens of Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications using false and fraudulent information on behalf of his co-conspirators, including co-conspirators in the Eastern District of Washington.