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. A borrower applied for a PPP loan from a lender or bank. 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. 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. School Food And Nutrition Services Of New Orleans, Inc. Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities. I dont know why it is that that some people take advantage of a program like this in a time of crisis. The Government alleged that Mr. Santemore, an Amtrak employee, submitted fraudulent loan applications seeking over $89,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. The forgivable loans were meant to cover payroll for employees and, later, other eligible expenses at a time when customers werent coming in. Secret Service said there are currently 900 active criminal investigations into pandemic fraud. 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. 100 people have been arrested so far. Louisiana has a total of 217,333 businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the Small Business Administration. 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. All rights reserved. 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. 1 in D1 baseball preseason poll, Five LSU Tigers listed in D1Softball, Extra Inning, #13 LSU Gymnastics falls to top-ranked Sooners in, Alabama basketball player, 2nd man charged with murder, Top items you will want on hand if your area floods, If your kid is fascinated with reptiles, then theyre, Louisiana state income tax filing begins Monday, Crypto website Bitzlato seized, founder arrested, Fisherman lost at sea after hooking huge tuna, Two sent to hospital after house fire in Baton Rouge, Trump trounces DeSantis in mock primary match-up:, Baton Rouge boutiques selling Mardi Gras shirts,, Baton Rouge teen arrested after student shot while, One dead after late night shooting in Ascension Parish, State Rep. Richard Nelson announces candidacy for, States new building, energy codes could provide, Trump pushes Facebook to unblock his account, Dolly Parton announces new baking collection items, Missing womans husbands search history read in, 97-year-old woman attacked by granddaughter: Police, Baton Rouge duo caught with weed in California arrested, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. She had one generous person give her $1000. For one woman this could potential result in jail time. The United States Attorneys Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Veterans Administration, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the United States Secret Services Cyber Fraud Task Force, consisting of the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriffs Office, Thibodeaux Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation with this matter. This table shows the top 5 industries in Louisiana by number of loans awarded, with average loan amounts and number of jobs reported. The largest loan paid out was $20,833. Sex. 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 case againstEVERYbegan as a result of a referral from the COVID-19 Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) regarding possible fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans (PPP). Lakeisha Golden is currently asking for donations on GoFundMe to help pay back a paycheck protection program Loan (Or PPP Loan) that she took out to provide for her family. She's accused of making up fake businesses to collect more than $20,000 through a PPP loan and another $500,000 in prepaid debit cards through unemployment . Calcasieu Parish News Calcasieu.info is not associated with any local governments or authorities. Two people were approved for that amount twice, and one of those people got paid twice. (WAFB) - The Paycheck Protection Program, known as PPP, provided a lifeline for millions of business owners when the pandemic was at its worst. STAGE 2 SECURITY LLC is a Subchapter S Corporation located at SOUTH JORDAN, UT with 29 employees. The Justice Department has charged 57 people, including "coordinated criminal rings," who tried to steal more than $157 million from the Paycheck Protection Program. Making false statements on your PPP application 2. Copyright 2020 WAFB. (WAFB) - Since the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) launched to help businesses pay their employees to prevent great losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some people have of course tried to exploit the program and defraud the federal government of money. Nearly 11.5 million people filed applications, resulting in more than $792 billion worth of loans. 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. Please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus for more information on the Departments response to the pandemic. Wire fraud 2. Jan 18, 2023 | Louisiana State News, News, Traffic. EVERYprepared and submitted false and fraudulent PPP sole proprietor loan applications via various online portals including, but not limited, to Blueacorn. BATON ROUGE, La. 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. For example, if the fraud committed amounted to $2.5 million, the government may recover $7.5 million in damages and the whistleblower may personally recover over $2 million. Federal investigators cannot comment on active investigations or give an estimate on how much fraud may have occurred through federal pandemic relief programs, but a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Middle District of Louisiana confirms there were fraudulent applications submitted in Louisiana through several relief programs including the PPP. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents are investigating a fatal single-vessel boating incident that occurred in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, on January 8, 2023, in Lake Pontchartrain after a body was recovered. If convicted, Every risks a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a fine of 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 obligatory special assessment charge, per count. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. PPP Loan Search; LA; State Loan Count; 1028 N Parkerson Ave: 1: 10387 CAROLINA ST: 1: 105 Gary Rd: 1: 1131 North Robertson: 1: 115 James Riviere st. 1: . 73 Arrests. Copyright 2020 WAFB. Crowther used it to buy a $700,000 dollar catamaran and a lavish lifestyle. Contact us today for a confidential, no-cost consultation. 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. A PPP loan fraud case in Louisiana may involve the vast waste of federal funds for personal gain. BATON ROUGE, La. He received $2.1 million in PPP money. Stay up to date with the latest news by downloading the BRProud App from the App Store or Google Play. If someone defaults, or cant pay it back, the SBA will still reimburse the lender. Of more than the 2,200,000 total crimes committed between . Filing a PPP loan fraud case is a powerful means for Louisiana citizens to bring tax dollar waste and abuse to light. I got 3 kids dat need me!!!. 23 april 13, 2020: $350k-$1m iberiabank: $150k-$350k loan to louisiana horsemen's benevolent and protective association, 1993 inc 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Age. Dr. Nick Oberheiden is a nationally recognized expert on PPP loan laws. The case against Every began after the COVID-19 Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) referred a possible fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan (PPP) to the FBI. 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. Whistleblowers in Louisiana may receive up to 30% of this sum in compensation, along with numerous other protections. The Act originally authorized up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Congress later authorized $321 billion in additional PPP funding. Prosecutors said the. Maybe, maybe not all.. The Department of Justice, and in particular my office here in the Middle District of Louisiana, is committed to investigating and prosecuting those who abuse the system for personal gain and will use every resource at our disposal to protect those federal dollars and the businesses they are intended to help. Director for the Louisiana SBA District Office Michael Ricks said while that information may raise some red flags on the surface, he explained that not complying with an industrys licensing requirements does not necessarily disqualify someone from being eligible for a PPP loan. Through financial institutions, the Secret Service said it has been able to reverse some of the payouts. She either gave a portion of the funds to others or kept it for herself. 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. The program worked like this. 1-12. The Department of Justice says in Feb. 2021, Gray created a scheme to defraud a lender and the United States, through the Small Business Administration, by filing false applications for PPP. 440 Louisiana St #200, Houston, TX 77002 . According to the indictment, Every established a fictional company called Natural Hair Afro, LLC, Houma, LA 70360 and used this fictitious company name on nearly all of the fraudulent PPP loan applications. If you are privy to information proving an individual or company obtained Paycheck Protection Program funds illegally in Louisiana, filing a Louisiana PPP loan fraud case is the most effective means to pursue justice while receiving protections for yourself and your family. 66 Arrests. 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. Every one of the phony and fraudulent invoices, bank statements, and Schedule Cs was fabricated by them. Yesterday she commented Keep the donations coming yall my kids need me out here frfr. However, a check of public records for business licenses with the Secretary of State office revealed no active business licenses for those eight individuals. The pandemic has forced the government to create different programs to help benefit those impacted most. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. Who in Louisiana got Paycheck Protection Program loans during the pandemic? BATON ROUGE, La. To apply for the forgivable loan, an applicant simply had to submit an application to their bank along with evidence of payroll for the last year which generally included tax returns, payroll returns, and corporate documents. Many people have lost their jobs indefinitely are are struggling to find new sources of income. Investigators discovered at least 110 PPP sole proprietor loan applications in and around Thibodeaux, Louisiana, with the same invoices and federal tax forms (Schedule C), business name, and sums. Woman Being Watched By The Feds After Receiving $20K PPP Loan, Launches GoFundMe To Pay It Back, Says She Has Three Kids And Cant Go To Jail, social media model trying to get home from All Star Weekend, Two Tennessee Women Jailed After Being Caught Attempting To Use Fake $1 Million Bill At Dollar General, Claim They Did Not Know It Was Fake, Second GoFundMe Account Setup For 2000s Bad Boy Rapper, Black Rob Funeral Expenses, Campaign Ends After Raising $3,500. This could potential result in jail time by number of jobs reported to some. App from the Small Business Administration institutions, the SBA will still reimburse the lender the donations coming my. Funds for personal gain Service said it has been able to reverse of! From a lender or bank is not associated with any local governments or authorities,. She commented Keep the donations coming yall my kids need me!!!, to.. 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