Rachael Robinson, a 37-year-old resident of South Bend, Indiana, has been sentenced for wire fraud after pleading guilty in federal court. United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty issued the sentence following an announcement by Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Robinson is required to pay $55,280.47 in restitution to those affected by her actions.
Court documents state that Robinson submitted two fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) relief funds in February and April 2021 for a business that did not exist. The PPP was established as part of the CARES Act to provide loans to small businesses for job retention and related expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic downturn. Robinson obtained approximately $50,000 through these false claims and used the money for personal purposes rather than approved business needs.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Luke N. Reilander and Joel Gabrielse prosecuted the case.
"This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Luke N. Reilander and Joel Gabrielse."
