That's almost 10% of the program's nearly $800 billion budget. Using that public data, the 9 News Investigators took a close look at PPP loans given out in Louisiana. The Justice Department has brought criminal charges against at least 209 individuals in 119 cases related to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud since banks and other lenders began processing loan applications on behalf of the Small Business Administration on April 3, 2020. 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. However, during that time period, the rate of crime dropped by 27% - - violent crime decreased by 11% during that time. 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. AGs Office announces more than 50 arrests connected to Paycheck Protection Program fraud, Texarkana man on motorcycle injured after allegedly refusing to pull over for state trooper, Weekly Report: Arkansas Dept. ThePaycheck Protection Programprovides small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks ofpayrollcosts including benefits. Casey Crowther owned Target Roofing. What the speakership fight is really all about. BATON ROUGE, La. The lender got to keep a fee based on the size of the loan. Copyright 2022 PPP Directory. Stay up to date with the latest news by downloading the BRProud App from the App Store or Google Play. Together, more than 5.5 million PPP loans were approved totaling more than $557.8 billion. BATON ROUGE, La. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Edward Rivera, COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator. In Louisiana, a federal grand jury recently indicted a Plaquemine woman named Lestreonia Rodrigue on fraud charges. Our deep knowledge of this complex and highly sensitive practice area, alongside our stellar track record of major wins against some of the large corporations in the U.S., makes our firm uniquely qualified to represent career professionals stepping out to blow the whistle on Louisiana CARES Act loan fraud. As far as the state of Louisiana is concerned, there is no requirement that a sole proprietor have a specific license at the state, said Ricks. In Louisiana, a federal grand jury . U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. BATON ROUGE, La. 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. You can search the SBA's entire PPP loan data below. "The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. (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. 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 funds. Investigations into Burton's bank account show only $616.52 of her loan was used on hair supplies. Name Jobs Reported Current Loan Loan Forgiveness; Amount ($) Date Approved Amount ($) Date; SHELTON RESTAURANT GROUP LLC: 500: 4,746,176: April 9, 2020: 4,802,480 From Gorilla Glue Girl to the social media model trying to get home from All Star Weekend. Louisiana has a total of 217,333 businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the Small Business Administration. Louisiana PPP loan fraud cases may be initiated by employees of banks who disperse PPP funds in Louisiana, employees of companies who have received CARES Act aid in Louisiana, or any other individual who has inside information on a PPP loan fraud case originating in Louisiana. Nearly a dozen of those people took out two loans. During round 1 of the paycheck protection program, CONTROL UNION USA INC requested a PPP loan for 454079 USD. Whistleblower protections are in place to ensure Louisiana residents who are privy to PPP loan fraud and abuse can file a report without fear of retribution. A Louisiana man has been arrested suspected of Aggravated Second Degree Battery in connection with a motor vehicle crash that left a driver with serious injuries. In Louisiana, a federal grand jury recently indicted a Plaquemine woman named Lestreonia Rodrigue on fraud charges. The Task Force assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other things, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. Filing a PPP loan fraud case is a powerful means for Louisiana citizens to bring tax dollar waste and abuse to light. 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. However, both Kennedy and Ricks say the good the program did far outweigh any possible fraud. The Veterans Administrations Office of Inspector General participates in the PRAC Fraud Task Force. The program worked like this. Financial lenders or fintechs made around 29% of all PPP loans but accounted for more than half of its suspicious loans to borrowers. According to todays indictment, EVERY created a fictitious business called Natural Hair Afro, LLC, Houma, LA 70360 and used this fictitious business name on nearly all of the fraudulent PPP loan applications. 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 . According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, there have been dozens of people charged with fraud nationwide and there are five pending Federal civil procedures where agencies are looking to get back $2.3 million worth of fraudulent assets including two high-end cars, a house, and cash. Gray submitted a false PPP application for the business under the name Royaldiamondzkollection LLC seeking funds from PPP. A total of 8,617 loans were distributed to New Orleans, LA leading to a reported 101,109 jobs being retained. . To get the initial payments, Every primarilyusedCash App. 1-14. 1. According to the indictment, Tynea Gray of Donaldsonville and Prairieville between June 2020 and Oct. 2021, Gray submitted unemployment claims in California in her name and in the names of others. This table shows the top 5 industries in Louisiana by number of loans awarded, with average loan amounts and number of jobs reported. PPP Detective All Loans (current) Loans By States; About Site; PPP Loans in Monroe, LA - Page 3. If someone defaults, or cant pay it back, the SBA will still reimburse the lender. The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. The Paycheck Protection Program saved millions of jobs. Investigators say those accused made false statements about things like how many people they employ, their average monthly revenue, and payroll figures. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Moderna says RSV vaccine is effective in older adults, Louisiana state income tax filing begins Monday;, Tool can help customers get canceled flight refunds, Authorities seize crypto website Bitzlato, arrest, Livingston Parish Clerk of Court computers hit in, Brion Whitley named SWAC Mens Basketball Player, LSU ranked No. Gray also submitted claims for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) benefits in the names of false businesses and based on false business profits and losses. 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. 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. FLORENCE, S.C. . 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. The Department of Justice confirms they are looking into reports of PPP fraud across the nation. It was this difficult road that we had about a week, but our bankers got it done and, and our businesswomen and businessmen stepped up to the plate and took advantage of it, said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. PPP-Loan.info. 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: . Age. Follow this link for more information on the Department of Justices response to the pandemic. Who in Louisiana got Paycheck Protection Program loans during the pandemic? Volunteers Of America Southeast Louisiana, Inc. Lessors of Nonresidential Buildings (except Miniwarehouses). Former Louisiana Resident Indicted for Preparing Over 110 Fraudulent PPP Loan Applications Totaling Over $1.1 Million Dollars. Staveley and Butziger claimed to have. Complaints can also be filed online here. PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) and Bank Fraud Enforcement Act and the COVID-19 EIDL (Economic Injury Disaster Loan) Fraud Statute of Limitations Act establish 10-year statutes of limitations. A borrower applied for a PPP loan from a lender or bank. And I, I think we ought to prosecute every single one of them to the full extent of the law, said Kennedy. If youre going to steal money, finite resources from people who need them, then, by God, were going to prosecute you.. Gray was able to get over $550,000 in prepaid debit cards in her mailbox, as well as $20,833 to be deposited into her bank account, which she was not entitled to, officials say. Disclaimer: The choice of an attorney is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. 104 Arrests. Original content is 2023 Calcasieu.info & BKHagar, LLC. STAGE 2 SECURITY LLC is a Subchapter S Corporation located at SOUTH JORDAN, UT with 29 employees. Copyright 2022 PPP Directory. To access PPP loans, applicants in Louisiana must certify they meet loan qualifications and that "current economic uncertainty makes this loan request necessary to support the ongoing operations of the applicant". 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. A PPP loan fraud case in Louisiana may involve the vast waste of federal funds for personal gain. Of those, 3,053 . As a result many are dipping into government funding they dont actually qualify for. Complaints can also be filed online here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can contact the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or submit a complaint using the NCDF Web Complaint Form by following this link. Individuals in Louisiana who initiate PPP loan fraud claims are rewarded handsomely for helping to bring corporate fraud in check. 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. Argires allegedly filed two fraudulent PPP applications seeking $1.1 million in forgivable funding. The National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) is in Baton Rouge and reports can be filed here. 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