U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. | U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Myaika Gross, 40, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, pled guilty to wire fraud related to COVID-19 relief programs. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles.
Gross, a United States Postal Employee in Louisiana from May 2020 to June 2021, admitted to applying for Pandemic Unemployment benefits in five states: California, Kansas, Indiana, Colorado, and Louisiana. She falsely claimed employment and layoffs due to COVID-19 in each state. Gross also obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan using fraudulent information during this period. In total, she acquired $65,928 in pandemic funds unlawfully.
The investigation is conducted by the United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General and the United States Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M.P. Thornhill is prosecuting the case as Deputy Chief of the Economic Crime Unit.
Reports of pandemic fraud can be made by contacting the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or through the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
