DOJ claims Va. man fraudulently used $2 million from CARES Act to buy Lexus and airplane

WASHINGTON (ABC7) — UPDATE: Didier Kindambu remains in a federal jail cell after being denied freedom in a detention hearing on Thursday in federal court in Alexandria, VA.

The government argued that Didier Kindambu was a flight risk because he has a pilot’s license and access to three planes. They also say he has extensive overseas assets and is a non-US citizen here on a temporary visa.

Kindambu’s attorney, Kevin Carroll argued that his client has high blood pressure and diabetes and would be at risk of contracting Covid-19 if he remained in federal custody. Carroll also argued Kindambu is accused of a non-violent crime and has family members live here in the US.

Federal Magistrate, Michael Nachmanoff said that he did not believe Kindambu posed a danger to the community but ruled in favor of the government’s argument that Kindambu was a flight risk. He ordered Kindambu to remain in federal custody.

A detention hearing was postponed Wednesday afternoon so Didier Kindambu had to spend another 24 hours locked up in a federal jail cell. The Judge in a preliminary hearing said there is enough probable cause to move forward in the case. 7 On Your Side Investigative Reporter Scott Taylor knocked on the front door of Kindambu's business Papillon Air in Leesburg, Virginia but no one answered. There were employees working at Papillon Air Maintenance Services in the same building but they had no comment.

Scott Taylor has the latest:

A Leesburg man is accused of fraudulently obtaining two loans under the Paycheck Protection Program and then using the money to buy a luxury car and his own airplane.

Court documents allege that Didier Kindambu, 48, obtained two loans worth approximately $2,501,753, and then spent those funds.

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He carried out the scheme, according to the Department of Justice, with two businesses that he owns by creating fraudulent payroll documentation for each business, and then submitting that documentation in support of the PPP loan application.

The CARES Act PPP is a program instituted by Congress to help businesses affected by the pandemic continue to pay salaries and/or wages to their employees.

Kindambu's Linked-In page says he’s the president of Papillon Air, a newly-formed aviation service company that flies out of the Leesburg Executive Airport, just 17 miles from Dulles Airport.

On Tuesday afternoon he was in a zoom chat with a federal judge at his initial court appearance in Alexandria, Virginia.

Court records say back in April he applied for 2 federal loans for covid payroll relief and Kindambu told the U.S. government he had 18 full-time employees and his payroll was 7.2 million dollars a year.

The Feds now say they believe many if not all the employees don’t exist.

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Kindambu is charged with one count of bank fraud and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison if he is convicted and a $1 million dollar fine.

In the courtroom using zoom his attorney called Kindambu a respected business person in the community with a wife and children.

His attorney tells 7 On Your Side he hasn’t spoken to his client and has no further comment.

Kindambu is innocent until proven guilty in a federal courtroom.

He currently is locked up in federal jail.