A federal grand jury in Columbia indicted five individuals on Apr. 23 for their alleged involvement in a wire fraud scheme connected to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
The case highlights concerns about fraudulent claims made under the CARES Act, which was designed to provide financial relief to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors say that from January to December 2021, Joshua Maiden—currently an inmate at the South Carolina Department of Corrections—along with Julie Connelly, Crystal Adams, Jillian Brooks, and Tessa Hess submitted false information on PPP loan applications and fabricated supporting documents.
According to the indictment, Maiden claimed he owned a landscaping business with more than $84,000 in revenue while incarcerated and received funds from his co-defendants’ fraudulent loans. The indictment also alleges that Hess possessed equipment used to create false identification documents and tried to destroy it when approached by authorities. In total, prosecutors allege that the group applied for more than $1.18 million in fraudulent loans.
Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison per count if convicted, as well as fines and supervised release requirements. They are scheduled for arraignment before Judge Thomas E. Rogers III on May 5.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Department of Corrections; Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews is leading prosecution efforts.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina protects communities and ensures justice for residents according to its official website. The office manages criminal prosecutions, civil cases and collections for the federal government according to its official website, operating across offices in Columbia, Charleston, Florence and Greenville while serving all of South Carolina according to its official website. It employs a team of 120 prosecutors and support professionals who handle both criminal prosecutions and civil litigation according to its official website.
All charges remain accusations at this stage; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
