Shamiese Wright, a 32-year-old resident of Charleston, has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting money laundering in connection with a COVID-19 fraud scheme. The plea was entered on July 14, 2025.
Court documents reveal that Wright received $15,625 from a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the CARES Act. On April 19, 2021, Kisha Sutton submitted a PPP loan application on behalf of Wright, falsely listing her as self-employed with a gross income of $75,000 in 2020. The application included an IRS Form 1040 Schedule C reflecting this income.
Wright admitted during her plea that she was not self-employed and had never earned $75,000 in any year. She acknowledged that the IRS form was fraudulent and created solely to secure the PPP loan.
A lender in Florida approved the loan application, resulting in $15,625 being deposited into Wright's bank account on May 7, 2021. Wright confessed to transferring $3,000 to Sutton as compensation for facilitating the fraudulent loan submission. These transfers were made using a digital wallet application between May 7 and May 21, 2021. She also admitted to disguising these payments' nature and source by staggering them and providing misleading descriptions.
The CARES Act provided forgivable PPP loans to qualifying individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants needed to certify their operation status as of February 15, 2020, and provide documentation of prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
Wright is scheduled for sentencing on October 29, 2025. She faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. Additionally, she owes up to $18,736.73 in restitution.
Wright and Sutton are among several individuals indicted for conspiring to obtain fraudulent PPP loans totaling $140,625. Co-defendants William Powell and Damisha Brown have pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to bank fraud. Powell is set for sentencing on August 14, while Brown will be sentenced on October 2. Another co-defendant Jasmine Spencer pleaded guilty earlier this year and will be sentenced on August 21.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced the plea agreement while commending investigative efforts by the FBI and other state agencies involved in uncovering this fraud scheme.
The case was presided over by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Jennifer D. Gordon along with former Assistant U.S Attorney Holly Wilson.
Individuals aware of COVID-19-related fraud are encouraged to report it via the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or through their online complaint form.
