Broadway Producer Sentenced for Fraudulent Covid-19 Grant Scheme

A Brooklyn-based Broadway producer has been sentenced after fraudulently obtaining more than $69,000 in Covid-19 small business recovery grants by filing falsified records.

According to newly released information, the defendant, identified by Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez as Suzanne Gilad, pleaded guilty to second-degree falsifying business records and was sentenced on April 28 by to a conditional discharge and ordered to complete 210 hours of community service, proof of which she provided to the court on August 26.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, between December 2021 and January 2022, the defendant submitted multiple fraudulent applications for grants offered by the New York State Empire State Development to assist businesses that experienced financial losses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The defendant submitted falsified copies of federal business income tax returns on behalf of three companies she controlled: In Fine Company LLC, Custom Broadway LLC, and All the Josh Cohens LLC. As a result of the fraudulent applications, the defendant received approximately $69,099 in grant funds, which she then transferred into her personal bank accounts.

The defendant previously reimbursed New York State for the funds.

Gilad is a frequent Broadway co-producer and part of the Tony-winning teams of The Outsiders, Moulin Rouge!, and the revivals of Merrily We Roll Along, Company, and Angels in America.