A woman who previously lived in Cincinnati has been sentenced to 24 months in prison for her involvement in pandemic relief fraud. Lashawnda Alexander, aged 40 and now residing in Katy, Texas, was found guilty of three counts of wire fraud after a jury trial concluded in August 2024.
Court documents and testimony revealed that Alexander submitted several fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan applications starting in June 2020. On June 23, she applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) under the business name "Lashawnda Alexander," claiming the business had ten employees and $125,000 in gross revenue before January 31, 2020. Shortly after using the same device, another application was filed under a family member's name with similar claims of employment and revenue.
On June 24, Alexander applied for another EIDL for "TressD LLC," purportedly a hair and nail salon employing fifteen people with $175,000 in gross revenue from the previous year. In total, she attempted to secure at least $137,500 but ultimately received $91,000 from EIDL funds including $20,000 as grants.
The following day on June 25th, she signed an electronic EIDL loan authorization for TressD LLC certifying the truthfulness of her application. However, these applications contradicted her tax return from 2019.
In subsequent months while continuing to collect unemployment assistance from Ohio's Department of Job & Family Services; Alexander purchased a Mercedes Benz SUV and relocated to Texas.
Her indictment came by way of a federal grand jury back in July 2022. The sentence was announced on January 28th by Kenneth L. Parker—United States Attorney for Southern District Ohio—and Yvonne Dicristoforo—Special Agent-in-Charge at United States Secret Service—with U.S District Judge Matthew W McFarland presiding over sentencing proceedings alongside Assistant United States Attorneys Ebunoluwa A Taiwo & Anthony Springer representing prosecution efforts against Ms.Alexander amid investigation efforts spearheaded by members comprising Financial Crimes Working Group Pandemic Fraud Committee.
