louisiana ppp loan arrests

In her caption she says I got 20k ppp loan now the feds after me plz help I cant do jail!! I urge anyone who believes he or she is a victim of this type of fraud to report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud," said US Attorney Brandon Fremin. Investigators determined there were at least 110 PPP sole proprietor loan applications in and around the Thibodeaux, Louisiana area and they all had the same invoices and federal tax forms (Schedule C) with the same business name and amounts. U.S. Imports and Bills of Lading for Donovan Marine Inc, U.S. Imports and Bills of Lading for Pellerin Milnor Corporation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Edward Rivera, COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator. She forged a bank statement, false tax documents, and made misrepresentations in her PPP applications. From fabricating false companies to inaccurately representing the number of workers employed, PPP fraud in Louisiana is a serious abuse of federal relief funds that has contributed to . She was able to get names, birth dates, and social security numbers of others, and submitted fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits in their names, with or without their knowledge or consent. All rights reserved. "The PPP was developed to ease the pain of COVID-19 economic restraints on working Americans. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits. Who in Louisiana got Paycheck Protection Program loans during the pandemic? A Louisiana man has been arrested suspected of Aggravated Second Degree Battery in connection with a motor vehicle crash that left a driver with serious injuries. Shes accused of making up fake businesses to collect more than $20,000 through a PPP loan and another $500,000 in prepaid debit cards through unemployment claims. 440 Louisiana St #200, Houston, TX 77002 . I dont know why it is that that some people take advantage of a program like this in a time of crisis. Mr. Santemore's pleaded guilty on April 27, 2022, and was sentenced on July 25, 2022 but the terms of his sentence are under seal. 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(WAFB) - The Paycheck Protection Program, known as PPP, provided a lifeline for millions of business owners when the pandemic was at its worst. Los Angeles Man Arrested for $27 Million PPP Fraud Scheme A California man was arrested today in Los Angeles on criminal charges related to his alleged bank fraud, false statements in a loan application and money laundering arising from the submission of fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds. Investigators say those accused made false statements about things like how many people they employ, their average monthly revenue, and payroll figures. The SBA has very broad rules, very, very large leeway on what the lender had to request from the bar to get that guarantee secure, said the SBA Louisiana District Director Michael Ricks. Baton Rouge . He is expected to be arraigned on . Federal investigators cannot comment on active investigations or give an estimate on how much fraud may have occurred through federal pandemic relief programs, but a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Middle District of Louisiana confirms there were fraudulent applications submitted in Louisiana through several relief programs including the PPP. In order for our firm to be considered your attorney there must be a signed agreement between the client and the firm. EVERY prepared and submitted false and fraudulent PPP sole proprietor loan applications via various online portals including, but not limited, to Blueacorn. Gray had peoples identifying information through social media and used that to file numerous claims. The risk of facing an audit or investigation is significant for companies that received federal loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Many people have taken out these loans despite not actually qualifying for them. Search arrest records and find latests mugshots and bookings for Misdemeanors and Felonies. This website is owned and operated by BKHagar, LLC. BATON ROUGE, La. A PPP loan fraud case in Louisiana may involve the vast waste of federal funds for personal gain. Gray was able to get over $550,000 in prepaid debit cards in her mailbox, as well as $20,833 to be deposited into her bank account, which she was not entitled to, officials say. During round 1 of the paycheck protection program, STAGE 2 SECURITY LLC requested a PPP loan for 460100 USD. Of those, 3,053 . If someone defaults, or cant pay it back, the SBA will still reimburse the lender. If the borrower can prove they used the money to pay employees and eligible expenses, they can ask the SBA for loan forgiveness. EVERYfalsely certified that the applications and the information provided in the supporting documents were true and accurate when she electronically submitted the fraudulent PPP loan applications. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. 23 april 13, 2020: $350k-$1m iberiabank: $150k-$350k loan to louisiana horsemen's benevolent and protective association, 1993 inc Lakeisha Golden is currently asking for donations on GoFundMe to help pay back a paycheck protection program Loan (Or PPP Loan) that she took out to provide for her family. An area business owner finding herself listed as having a PPP loan, even though she hasn't received the money . BATON ROUGE, La. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Edward Rivera, COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator. Please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus for more information on the Departments response to the pandemic. If convicted, EVERY faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years, followed by a term of supervised release for up to three (3) years, a fine up to $250,000.00, or twice the gross gain to the defendant, or twice the gross loss to any victim, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, per count. The loan was facilitated by Cache Valley Bank, LOGAN, UT. Congress passed the CARES Act on March 29, 2020 which created a $349 billion dollar program of forgivable loans called the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). I got 3 kids dat need me!!!. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. 1-15. Search. EVERYcreated all of the false and fraudulent invoices, bank statements, and Schedule Cs. PPP loans were also approved for a number of schools in New Orleans, including Dillard University, which got between $2 million and $5 million to retain 491 employees. The Department of Justice (DOJ) says as of Aug. 8, more than 5.2 million forgivable loans have been approved, at a total of more than $525 billion. If approved, the SBA pays the lender back using federal funds. BATON ROUGE, La. EVERYadvertised under various aliases on Facebook to recruit individuals to obtain money from the PPP program. Disclaimer: The choice of an attorney is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. The Veterans Administration, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force. Casey Crowther owned Target Roofing. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Our deep knowledge of this complex and highly sensitive practice area, alongside our stellar track record of major wins against some of the large corporations in the U.S., makes our firm uniquely qualified to represent career professionals stepping out to blow the whistle on Louisiana CARES Act loan fraud. For example, if the fraud committed amounted to $2.5 million, the government may recover $7.5 million in damages and the whistleblower may personally recover over $2 million. Robert De Niro-backed Nobu restaurants took more than a dozen PPP loans worth as much as $28 million . Gray also submitted claims for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) benefits in the names of false businesses and based on false business profits and losses. Filing a PPP loan fraud case against your Louisiana employer or another entity in Louisiana is an act of moral courage that can bring flagrant fraud and waste in check. Full-Service Restaurants . A new study looking at which U.S. locations received the most in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program found that Denton businesses received $1,544 in funds per capita. Using awarded PPP funds for unapproved purposes PPP Fraud Criminal Charges There are 4 common criminal charges for someone accused of PPP loan fraud. Copyright 2020 WAFB. Nearly a dozen of those people took out two loans. Once the loans were funded, Everycharged about $3,500.00. Theyre not checking licenses. Louisiana crime statistics. Authorities are . The line is staffed 24/7. These funds were deposited into her Current account, her Cash App account, or her boyfriends Current account. AGs Office announces more than 50 arrests connected to Paycheck Protection Program fraud, New proposed Psychiatric Facility could house 'dangerous' mentally ill patients in North Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge General offering free health checks. Search Paycheck Protection Program Loan (PPP Loan) list with amount, business name, address, business type and Lender information in Louisiana. EVERY falsely certified that the applications and the information provided in the supporting documents were true and accurate when she electronically submitted the fraudulent PPP loan applications. New Orleans, Louisiana On September 9, 2022, United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the indictment of Sharnae Every (Every), age 27, of Houston, Texas, who was charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and two counts of Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341. The individuals Every recruitedto prepare and submit the false PPP application was charged between $45.00 and $120.00. Richard Ayvazyan and Marietta Terabelian from LA spent the money on a $3.25-million Mediterranean-style villa, gold coins, diamond . Every advertised on Facebook using numerous aliases in order to recruit others to participate in the PPP scheme. EVERY advertised under various aliases on Facebook to recruit individuals to obtain money from the PPP program. Floods are going to become more common, so its vital to learn how to prepare, no matter where you live. In mid July, Lawson proposed adding applications for the PPP to the scheme, with a $6,000 fee for the $20,000 loan. of Health monitoring COVID-19, Vermont mom, 3 kids OK after being hit by suspected drunk driver, 300-unit housing development proposed in Brattleboro, Texarkana 2-year-old recovering from RSV and COVID-19. So far, six. The Task Force assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other things, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. All rights reserved. STAGE 2 SECURITY LLC is a Subchapter S Corporation located at SOUTH JORDAN, UT with 29 employees. He received $2.1 million in PPP money. 10 Red Flags for PPP Loan Fraud (Look for These During Your Company's Internal PPP Compliance Investigation) . To access PPP loans, applicants in Louisiana must certify they meet loan qualifications and that "current economic uncertainty makes this loan request necessary to support the ongoing operations of the applicant". We will represent all Louisiana persons involved in a PPP loan fraud claim on a contingency basis, meaning our lawyers never charge legal fees unless we win compensation in your case. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents are investigating a fatal single-vessel boating incident that occurred in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, on January 8, 2023, in Lake Pontchartrain after a body was recovered. ThePaycheck Protection Programprovides small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks ofpayrollcosts including benefits. What the speakership fight is really all about. "Such payments are not authorized use of PPP funds under the CARES Act," the statement said. My feeling is that despite the fraud, the program helped far, far, far more of my people than it hurt, said Kennedy. However, not everyone taking part in the federal program was looking to keep their business doors open. At the request of WAFB, the Louisiana Board of Barber Examiners also searched their apprentice, student, barber, and shop records for those eight names and addresses, and came up empty as well. The PPP was developed to ease the pain of COVID-19 economic restraints on working Americans. Many Louisiana entities obtained PPP loans and SBA funding--some of them fraudulently, by making false claims regarding PPP loan qualification or necessity. Woman Being Watched By The Feds After Receiving $20K PPP Loan, Launches GoFundMe To Pay It Back, Says She Has Three Kids And Cant Go To Jail, social media model trying to get home from All Star Weekend, Two Tennessee Women Jailed After Being Caught Attempting To Use Fake $1 Million Bill At Dollar General, Claim They Did Not Know It Was Fake, Second GoFundMe Account Setup For 2000s Bad Boy Rapper, Black Rob Funeral Expenses, Campaign Ends After Raising $3,500. The case against EVERY began as a result of a referral from the COVID-19 Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) regarding possible fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans (PPP). EVERYreceived these funds into her Current account, her Cash App account, or into her boyfriends Current account. CONTROL UNION USA INC is a Corporation located at SAINT ROSE, LA with 40 employees. I urge anyone who believes he or she is a victim of this type of fraud to report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud," said US Attorney Brandon Fremin. The FBI and United States Department of Labor are investigating the matter and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Warner. We do not charge attorney fees unless you receive compensation and you are under no obligation after your initial consultation. Federal investigators want you to speak up about PPP fraud, Federal investigators want you to speak up about PPP Fraud, Garret Graves says hes unsure about run for governor, Teen shot while walking to school (Full News Conference). A former Pizzeria owner was arrested yesterday for committing after securing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds worth $660,000. Each loan paid out was guaranteed using taxpayer money. 500 E Front St Suite 160-71 Arlington, TX 76011 . Former Louisiana Resident Indicted for Preparing Over 110 Fraudulent PPP Loan Applications Totaling Over $1.1 Million Dollars. 1-14. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. Under the PPP program, the loans don't have to be repaid as long as the money is used for paying employees . 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