Louisiana Ranch Owner Pleads Guilty to Stealing $76k in COVID Aid. He’ll Have to Pay It Back

LAFAYETTE, La. — The owner of a Louisiana livestock business has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $76,000 from a federal aid program to help compensate farmers and ranchers for losses from the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. authorities said Wednesday.

Burnell Gabriel Zachary, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of theft from the U.S. government on Tuesday and agreed to repay $76,274 as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in Lafayette, court documents show.

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USDA, Livestockkristen oaks