The CARES Act of 2020 was carefully made by the United States Congress to help everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic, including farmers. In 2020 and 2021, the Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency provided $31 billion in aid to over 950,000 producers of agricultural commodities, including crops, dairy, and livestock, to help offset losses and costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, even though some people have more compassion for animals than people, even the CARES Act aid to ensure that animals were fed was not exempt from the fraudster.
Robert Conley was a buyer and seller of cattle and part owner of Paris Stockyards in Paris, Ky. On May 26, 2020, and on September 29, 2020, Conley filed two Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) applications. But in addition to his two legitimate applications, he directed and caused four individuals to unwittingly submit false CFAP applications claiming they owned 20% of Conley’s cattle – although ownership of a cow seems like something someone should know about! As a result of Conley’s instruction, the four individuals received a total of $1,206,539.80 in CFAP funds, which they remitted back to Conley.
Conley also fraudulently filed three applications under the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), claiming three of the individuals, who may know by now that they don’t own cattle, had payroll expenses associated with Conley’s cattle operation. As a result of those false PPP applications, Conley received an additional $72,660 in fraudulent proceeds.
On July 9, 2026, Conley pled guilty to CARES Act fraud.
Great job by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Today’s Fraud of The Day is based “Scott County farmer admits guilt in COVID-19 relief fund fraud case” published by Bluegrass Times on July 9, 2025.
A Georgetown, Kentucky resident, Robert Conley, 71, has admitted guilt in a federal court for submitting a fraudulent claim to secure COVID-19 relief funds. U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell received Conley’s guilty plea.
The CARES Act of 2020 introduced several programs to support those affected by the pandemic. One such initiative was the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which aimed to aid farmers and ranchers. Administered by the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, CFAP required applicants to certify the accuracy of their information under penalty of criminal sanctions for false claims. Conley, involved in cattle trading and co-owning Paris Stockyards in Paris, Kentucky, filed two legitimate CFAP applications in 2020.
