A Raceland woman has been indicted for her alleged involvement in a scheme to defraud federal and state relief programs of over $1.5 million. Cherikah Roberson, 40, was charged on August 14, 2025, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, making false statements, multiple counts of wire fraud, and theft of government funds.
The indictment follows an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Authorities allege that Roberson began submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications in February 2021, targeting the Small Business Administration (SBA). She is accused of preparing about 60 fraudulent PPP applications totaling approximately $1,446,593. According to investigators, Roberson recruited associates through Facebook to participate in the scheme and submitted falsified invoices, bank statements, and tax forms using online portals such as Blueacorn and Liberty SBF.
Roberson is also charged with filing a fraudulent PPP application for herself. On April 19, 2021, she allegedly submitted a fictitious bank statement from South Louisiana Bank as part of her application and claimed an income she did not earn in 2019. This resulted in her receiving a $20,833 SBA-backed PPP loan.
In addition to PPP fraud allegations, Roberson faces charges related to unemployment insurance (UI) fraud. The indictment states that she used Facebook under the name “Rikah Marie” to recruit others for filing fraudulent UI claims in Kentucky and Louisiana. She reportedly charged individuals between $1,200 and $1,500 per claim filed on their behalf. One example cited is her alleged defrauding of Kentucky’s Office of Unemployment Insurance out of roughly $5,888 beginning in July 2020.
The indictment further alleges that Roberson completed a fraudulent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance application following Hurricane Ida’s landfall in August 2021. Investigators say she claimed damage to a mobile home that had already been demolished months earlier; FEMA subsequently deposited nearly $47,493 into her account.
In total, authorities allege Roberson attempted to obtain approximately $1.45 million through fraudulent PPP loans along with additional funds from unemployment insurance benefits and FEMA disaster payments.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson emphasized: “the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force was established by the Attorney General on May 17, 2021 to coordinate efforts across government agencies against pandemic-related fraud schemes. The task force supports investigations like this one by sharing resources and techniques among law enforcement agencies nationwide; more information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
According to officials: “The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.”
Anyone with information about possible COVID-19 relief fraud can contact the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or file a report online at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office acknowledged support from several agencies involved in investigating this case: U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; Department of Veteran Affairs Office of Inspector General; Pandemic Response Accountability Committee; United States Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General COVID Fraud Unit; with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
