A woman from Laplace, Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to charges related to fraud involving the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). According to U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle, Tanyaneeka Powell, age 38, admitted before United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey to two counts of making and assisting in making false statements connected to federal pandemic relief.
Court documents state that Powell submitted a fraudulent application for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan on April 17, 2021, seeking $19,997 for herself from the Small Business Administration (SBA). The second count alleges that on June 2, 2022, she helped another person prepare a false PPP loan application that resulted in a $19,999 loan.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 28, 2026. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle acknowledged the efforts of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service in investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera is leading the prosecution.
"For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus." The public can report suspected COVID-19 fraud by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or submitting complaints online at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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