JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville man is facing federal wire fraud charges after being indicted on allegations that he submitted fraudulent documents to collect thousands of dollars in COVID-19 emergency rental assistance.
Edward Malone, a Jacksonville resident, was indicted May 27, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida on two counts of wire fraud.
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What is ERAP?
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) was created by the U.S. Department of Treasury to provide financial relief to renters struggling to pay rent or utilities due to hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
ERAP was authorized under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Funds were distributed to states, territories and local governments, which each established their own eligibility programs. In Jacksonville, the City of…
THE BHI TRUST PONZI SCHEME (SOUTH AFRICA)
Date: Ongoing updates through February 2026 Perpetrator: Craig Warriner (Principal), with alleged co-conspirators
Case Description: The BHI Trust scandal remains one of South Africa’s most devastating financial crimes, involving the loss of between R1.9 billion and R3 billion. Craig Warriner, the “genius trader” behind the trust, turned himself in during late 2023, but the legal and recovery battles reached a fever pitch in 2025 and 2026. Warriner operated the trust as a textbook Ponzi scheme, utilizing “Old Boy” networks and high-profile brokers to lure in pensioners and high-net-worth individuals with promises of 20% annual returns.
In early 2025, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) faced heavy criticism for “provisionally withdrawing” charges against alleged co-conspirators Michael Haldane and Sona Pillay. However, civil recovery efforts by joint trustees have continued into 2026, aiming to claw back hundreds of millions in “fictitious profits” from early investors to redistribute to those who lost everything. The case is a masterclass in the failure of fiduciary duty; the FSCA eventually banned several advisors for up to 30 years for peddling the unlicensed scheme despite clear red flags, such as the lack of a website, the absence of regulated financial reports, and a fee structure that was triple the industry average.
Link to Original: Moneyweb – BHI Trust Scandal Deep Dive