In Louisiana, a federal grand jury recently indicted a Plaquemine woman named Lestreonia Rodrigue on fraud charges. The Veterans Administrations Office of Inspector General participates in the PRAC Fraud Task Force. The DOJ says falsified tax records were submitted and in some cases, stolen personal information was also used in these attempts to defraud the PPP. Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Edward Rivera, COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator, are prosecuting this case. Based on the data, between $5,589,989,154 and $10,528,439,154 have been loaned through the Payroll Protection Program to businesses in Louisiana. As a result many are dipping into government funding they dont actually qualify for. During round 1 of the paycheck protection program, CONTROL UNION USA INC requested a PPP loan for 454079 USD. The Justice Department has charged 57 people, including "coordinated criminal rings," who tried to steal more than $157 million from the Paycheck Protection Program. On April 7, 2020, Kamgaing reportedly filed an application for a PPP loan for Apiagne, Inc., a technology company with a lab located at 215 Balfour Dr. in Archdale. Amount; Monroe, LA. BATON ROUGE, La. Dr. Nick Oberheiden is a nationally recognized expert on PPP loan laws. Los Angeles Man Arrested for $27 Million PPP Fraud Scheme A California man was arrested today in Los Angeles on criminal charges related to his alleged bank fraud, false statements in a loan application and money laundering arising from the submission of fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds. Baton Rouge . Its pretty bad, some have been able to scam millions out of the government. From Gorilla Glue Girl to the social media model trying to get home from All Star Weekend. Arlington . BATON ROUGE, La. Congress passed the CARES Act on March 29, 2020 which created a $349 billion dollar program of forgivable loans called the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). 1-12. My directive to SBA and to the Department of Justice will be to work with our state attorneys general, work with local DHS, work with local sheriffs, and make sure people understand if you steal money, these are these are finite resources, said Kennedy. PPP-Loan.info States / Location . You can search and filter the list of PPP loans. A PPP loan fraud case in Louisiana may involve the vast waste of federal funds for personal gain. Who in Louisiana got Paycheck Protection Program loans during the pandemic? On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Veterans Administration, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force. . All rights reserved. The Onder Law Firm is a National Law Firm based in St. Louis, Missouri representing clients throughout the United States in national federal MDL products liability litigation. FLORENCE, S.C. . Based on the data, between $706,982,622 and $1,377,632,622 have been loaned through the Payroll Protection Program to businesses in New Orleans, LA. . School Food And Nutrition Services Of New Orleans, Inc. Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities. Casey Crowther owned Target Roofing. To get the initial payments, Every primarilyusedCash App. Richard Ayvazyan and Marietta Terabelian from LA spent the money on a $3.25-million Mediterranean-style villa, gold coins, diamond . To me, its like looting after a hurricane. If convicted, EVERY faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years, followed by a term of supervised release for up to three (3) years, a fine up to $250,000.00, or twice the gross gain to the defendant, or twice the gross loss to any victim, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, per count. The $20,000 is now due back to the government, with some possible jail time as well if shes not lucky. protecting transportation workers and passengers from covid: gaps in safety, lessons learned, and next steps Copyright 2020 WAFB. Wire fraud 2. According to the Board of Barber Examiners, to legally run a barbershop, an owner must have a business license and a barber license if they are cutting hair even if that business is run out of a home. Heatmap of PPP Loans by Zip Code in Louisiana, Number of Loans Issued by Date in Louisiana, Summary of PPP Loans by County in Louisiana, Top 25 Cities in Louisiana by Number of PPP Loans. EVERY charged $45.00 to $120.00 from the individuals she recruited to prepare and submit the fraudulent PPP application. If someone defaults, or cant pay it back, the SBA will still reimburse the lender. The individuals Every recruitedto prepare and submit the false PPP application was charged between $45.00 and $120.00. The rest was spent on personal purchases. According to the United States Department of Justice official website, Six individuals were charged in an indictment with fraudulently obtaining approximately $1.5 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of five businesses based in Georgia and South Carolina. 713-597-3388. The tool below can be used to search all publicly released PPP recipients in LA. In mid July, Lawson proposed adding applications for the PPP to the scheme, with a $6,000 fee for the $20,000 loan. The cases involve attempts to steal a total of more than $175 million from the program, with actual losses to the federal government totaling more than $70 million, the DOJ reports. Nearly 11.5 million people filed applications, resulting in more than $792 billion worth of loans. PPP loan information is available to the public through the SBA, and several groups have even published that information in the form of online searchable databases that anyone can use. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing, JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Coastal and Great Lakes Freight Transportation, Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly, Waldemar S. Nelson And Company, Incorporated, Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations, Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, Catholic Charities Archdiocese Of New Orleans, Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors, Galloway, Johnson, Thompkins, Burr, Smith, Aplc, Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors, Roofing, Siding, and Insulation Material Merchant Wholesalers. Between 1999 and 2008, when compared to 10 similar states, Louisiana ranked second for the highest number of crimes per 1,000 people. Florida man buys $4.9M mansion using funds from PPP loan scheme, Attorney's Office says She was arrested and charged with child neglect with great bodily harm, tampering with a witness and . If approved, the SBA pays the lender back using federal funds. Lanier & Associates Consulting Engineers, Inc. Liskow & Lewis, A Professional Law Corporation, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water, Commercial and Institutional Building Construction, Supermarkets and Other Grocery (except Convenience) Stores, Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein & Hilbe RT LLC, Other Services (except Public Administration), Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, Academy Of The Sacred Heart Of New Orleans, Associated Office Systems Of Louisiana, LLC, Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging, Carver, Darden, Koretzky, Tessier, Finn, Blossman, & Areaux, LLC, Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings, Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers, Degan, Blanchard & Nash, A Professional Law Corporation, Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities, Estate Of William G. Helis, A Partnership, Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists), Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services, Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services, Gordon, Arata, Montgomery, Barnett, McCollam, Duplantis & Eagan, LLC, All Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services, Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers, The First, A National Banking Association, Lsu School Of Medicine In New Orleans Faculty Group Practice, Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists, Lycee Francais De La Nouvelle Orleans Inc, Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities, Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing, New Orleans College Preparatory Academies. Tax Preparer Charged with Submitting 118 Fraudulent PPP Loan Applications - Also in March 2021, the DOJ filed charges against a South Florida tax preparer who is accused of submitting . Every one of the phony and fraudulent invoices, bank statements, and Schedule Cs was fabricated by them. Summary of PPP Loans in Louisiana A total of 73,824 loans were distributed to Louisiana leading to a reported 799,664 jobs being retained. Three women, who were employees of U.S. AGs Office announces more than 50 arrests connected to Paycheck Protection Program fraud, New proposed Psychiatric Facility could house 'dangerous' mentally ill patients in North Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge General offering free health checks. Environmental Safety And Health Consulting Services, Inc. Environmental Specialties International, Inc. Expeditors & Production Services Co. Inc. Family Worship Center Church, Inc. Dba J Immy Swaggart Ministries, Other Services (except Public Administration), Franciscan Missionaries Of Our Lady University, Franklin Parish Hospital Service District#1, Galloway, Johnson, Thompkins, Burr, Smith, Aplc. A total of 8,617 loans were distributed to New Orleans, LA leading to a reported 101,109 jobs being retained. A former GOP candidate for the New Mexico legislature was arrested Monday, accused of conspiring with and paying four men to shoot at the homes of four elected officials, appearing to target . Those who suspect PPP fraud or may have been a victim of such fraud should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline at 866-720-5721. The pandemic has forced the government to create different programs to help benefit those impacted most. Our firm is committed to providing aggressive legal representation to whistleblowers in Louisiana in order to maximize PPP loan fraud case compensation, while ensuring our clients are protected to the utmost extent of the law during the process. Mon, Dec 26, 2022 . In Louisiana, a federal grand jury . Constantly updated. However, a check of public records for business licenses with the Secretary of State office revealed no active business licenses for those eight individuals. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today the indictment of SHARNAE EVERY ("EVERY"), age 27, of Houston, Texas, who was charged with one (1) count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and two (2) counts of Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States [] Its up to the SBA and the Justice Department to go after anyone caught stealing PPP money. Age. 23 april 13, 2020: $350k-$1m iberiabank: $150k-$350k loan to louisiana horsemen's benevolent and protective association, 1993 inc She had one generous person give her $1000. OnderLaw, LLC - PPP Loan Fraud Whistleblower These individuals were allegedly part of a larger group that together have fraudulently obtained approximately $3.0 million in PPP loans. She was able to get names, birth dates, and social security numbers of others, and submitted fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits in their names, with or without their knowledge or consent. EVERYprepared and submitted false and fraudulent PPP sole proprietor loan applications via various online portals including, but not limited, to Blueacorn. To date, authorities have recovered approximately $1,195,784.98 of the stolen money., They also elaborated on how the loan works. The Congregation Of The Roman Catholic Church Of . For one woman this could potential result in jail time. BATON ROUGE, La. Largest Database of Louisiana Mugshots. EVERYcreated all of the false and fraudulent invoices, bank statements, and Schedule Cs. The Onder Law Firm has represented clients throughout the United States in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation such as Pradaxa, Lexapro and Yasmin/Yaz, where the firm's attorneys held significant leadership roles in the litigation, as well as Actos, Truvada, Risperdal and others. The Veterans Administration, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force. The DOJ says this ill-gotten money was in many cases used to buy luxury personal items like cars, homes, vacation trips, and jewelry. The case against EVERY began as a result of a referral from the COVID-19 Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) regarding possible fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans (PPP). Through financial institutions, the Secret Service said it has been able to reverse some of the payouts. Robert De Niro-backed Nobu restaurants took more than a dozen PPP loans worth as much as $28 million . The Department of Justice (DOJ) says as of Aug. 8, more than 5.2 million forgivable loans have been approved, at a total of more than $525 billion. 500 E Front St Suite 160-71 Arlington, TX 76011 . You know, is it something that they should have done? The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two. Based on the data, between $5,589,989,154 and $10,528,439,154 have been loaned through the Payroll Protection Program to businesses in Louisiana. This case was brought in New Orleans, Louisiana. Louisiana has a total of 217,333 businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the Small Business Administration. The movie star joins several other high-profile people among 19 people accused in federal indictments of cheating the government out of millions in schemes that all originated in Georgia. Filing a PPP loan fraud case against your Louisiana employer or another entity in Louisiana is an act of moral courage that can bring flagrant fraud and waste in check. I urge anyone who believes he or she is a victim of this type of fraud to report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud," said US Attorney Brandon Fremin. Investigators determined there were at least 110 PPP sole proprietor loan applications in and around the Thibodeaux, Louisiana area and they all had the same invoices and federal tax forms (Schedule C) with the same business name and amounts. Mr. Santemore's pleaded guilty on April 27, 2022, and was sentenced on July 25, 2022 but the terms of his sentence are under seal. In February 2021, the New York Court of Appeals issued a long-awaited decision in Freedom Mortgage v.Engel, 37 N.Y.3d 1 (2021), which, among other things, held that the voluntary discontinuance of a foreclosure action constitutes an affirmative revocation of acceleration because such "discontinuance withdraws the complaint and, when the complaint is the only expression of demand for immediate . He is accused of using the PPP loan to buy "$85,000 in jewelry, including a Rolex Presidential watch, a diamond bracelet, a 5.73-carat diamond ring for himself, and to pay $40,000 for child support," within days of receiving the funds. The PPP offers billions of dollars in potentially forgivable loans to keep workers on the payroll, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. In Louisiana, a federal grand jury recently indicted a Plaquemine woman named Lestreonia Rodrigue on fraud charges. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); All suspects are innocent until proven guilty. Sen. John Kennedy says in the rush to get help to people in need as quickly as possible, Congress didnt have time to build many safeguards against fraud into the program. The lender got to keep a fee based on the size of the loan. He'll be sentenced next month and faces 40. At the request of WAFB, the Louisiana Board of Barber Examiners also searched their apprentice, student, barber, and shop records for those eight names and addresses, and came up empty as well. Postal Service, face charges in South Carolina for a multi-million-dollar national fraud scheme related to the federal COVID-19 Paycheck . EVERYadvertised under various aliases on Facebook to recruit individuals to obtain money from the PPP program. Contact us today for a confidential, no-cost consultation. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. 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