William S. Thompson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia
Anna Marie Omar, a 51-year-old resident of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has been sentenced to five years of federal probation for her involvement in a money laundering scheme related to COVID-19 relief fraud. The sentence includes six months of home detention and an order to pay $23,410.60 in restitution.
Omar admitted to fraudulently obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan worth $20,833. The loan was guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). According to court documents, Omar applied for the forgivable PPP loan on April 30, 2021, while residing in Bluefield, West Virginia.
She falsely claimed to be an independent contractor with a gross income of $152,000 in 2020 from working at a water processing business. She also misrepresented that she had been in business since 2010. Omar confessed that she used the relief funds for personal purposes.
The loan application was approved by a PPP lender who deposited the funds into Omar's personal checking account on May 17, 2021. She then transferred $12,216.70 from her checking account to her savings account the following day.
United States Attorney Will Thompson announced the sentencing and praised the investigative efforts of various law enforcement agencies including the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), West Virginia State Auditor’s Office Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), Homeland Security Investigations, Horry County South Carolina Sheriff’s Office, and Myrtle Beach Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber delivered the sentence while Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force was established on May 17, 2021 by the Attorney General to enhance efforts against pandemic-related frauds through collaboration across government agencies.
For further information on reporting attempted COVID-19 frauds or related issues visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus or contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721.
Related court documents can be accessed via PACER by searching Case No. 1:24-cr-36.
