Joshua S. Levy, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts
A Boston woman has been sentenced for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Jameela Gross, 28, was sentenced to time served, which amounts to one day, followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, she is required to pay $18,750 in restitution. Gross pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of wire fraud.
Gross was arrested in February 2024 alongside over 40 members and associates of the Heath Street Gang. They faced charges related to racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and financial frauds including those connected to COVID-19 relief.
The PPP was part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act aimed at providing temporary loans to small businesses. These loans were guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration and could be forgiven if used for permissible expenses.
In April 2021, Gross submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application claiming it was for her photography business. The application included false statements about the business’s income in 2020 and intended use of the loan. She also provided fake tax records as part of her application process and received approximately $18,750 based on these false claims.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Jonathan Mellone from the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General; and Thomas Demeo from IRS Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Hoefle and Lucy Sun prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation that targets high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States through a multi-agency approach.
The Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force on May 17, 2021. This task force coordinates resources across government agencies to combat pandemic-related fraud effectively.
For information on suspected COVID-19 fraud attempts, individuals can contact the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or use their online complaint form.
