The Texas actor who played the red Power Ranger in the hit 1990s TV series and subsequent films was arrested Tuesday and charged with fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief loans.
Jason Lawrence Geiger, 47, starred in the franchise under the stage name Austin St. John.
He was arrested on Tuesday, and remains in jail awaiting a hearing in Plano, Texas, on Monday.
Geiger was one of 19 people charged for participating in the scheme, which federal authorities say resulted in $3.5 million in fraudulently obtained funds.
The scheme was spearheaded by 47-year-old Michael Hill – a.k.a. ‘Tank’ – and Andrew Moran, 43.
The two ringleaders recruited others to use ‘an existing business or create a business’ to apply for the loans, part of the $349 billion federal CARES Act, designed to help struggling businesses during the pandemic, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Texas.
Jason Lawrence Geiger, 47, starred in the Power Rangers films and TV series under the stage name Austin St. John. He was arrested on Tuesday and charged with COVID loan fraud
Geiger was one of 19 people arrested for their role in the $3.5 million scam
Geiger (far left) is seen with the other original Power Rangers – from left: Walter Jones, Jason David Frank, and David Yost, at the premiere of the 2017 Power Rangers film
Geiger in action as the 90s hero Power Ranger. He now faces up to 20 years in jail for fraud
Those in the network obtained the pandemic…
