A Kennewick man who claims to have patented the first commercially sold, solar-powered wheelchair has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in connection with Covid-19 relief funding.

David Kurt Schneider, 54, pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.

Schneider admitted that he conspired, along with two other defendants, to fraudulently obtain Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act funding through the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, program, collectively obtaining over $265,000 in funding. 

Schneider further admitted that he and his co-defendants submitted additional fraudulent applications seeking over $560,000 in CARES Act funding through the PPP and Economic Injury Disaster Loan, or EIDL, programs, applications which were ultimately not approved.

Schneider, as part of the conspiracy, admitted all three defendants submitted false information and documents to the Small Business Administration and participating PPP lenders regarding gross revenues, number of employees, and amount spent on payroll in an attempt to obtain CARES Act funds to which they were not otherwise entitled.  

According to the plea agreement, Schneider and others submitted funding applications in the name of Larsen Firearms, owned by co-defendant Leif Gerald Larsen of Pasco, and Solar Mobility LLC, RealNZ Water LLC, and Tempest Tactical Solutions, LLC, all owned by Schneider.

The other defendant was Kelly Jo Driver of South Carolina.