Redacted Federal Indictment: United States v. Tucker — PPP and UI Fraud (W.D. Mich. 2024)

Summary

An indictment in United States of America v. Shakayla Lorrene Tucker, Case 1:24-cr-00167-PLM, ECF No. 2, United States District Court, Western District of Michigan, Southern Division, filed November 6, 2024. Counts 1-8 charge wire fraud and allege that the defendant submitted Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications for a fictitious sole proprietorship, resulting in the transfer of $20,832 in first-draw loan proceeds from Capital Plus Financial LLC and $20,832 in second-draw loan proceeds from Prestamos CDFI LLC. Counts 9-12 charge wire fraud and allege that the defendant submitted weekly claims for Unemployment Insurance benefits to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, causing a deposit of approximately $32,175. The indictment cites 18 U.S.C. § 1343.

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Full text

Case 1:24-cr-00167-PLM

ECF No. 2, PageID.6

Filed 11/06/24

Page 1 of 5

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
SOUTHERN DIVISION
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
vs.
SHAKAYLA LORRENE TUCKER,
INDICTMENT
Defendant.
_________________________________/
The Grand Jury charges:
COUNTS 1-8
(Wire Fraud)
Between on or about March 22, 2021 and on or about September 13, 2021, in
Berrien County, in the Southern Division of the Western District of Michigan,
SHAKAYLA LORRENE TUCKER,
having knowingly devised a scheme and artifice to defraud, and to obtain money by
means of false and fraudulent pretenses and representations, caused signs, sounds,
and signals to be transmitted by wire in interstate commerce for the purpose of
executing the scheme.
The defendant electronically submitted Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
loan applications and supporting documents for “Shakayla Tucker,” a fictitious sole
proprietorship, which resulted in the transfer of $20,832 in first-draw loan proceeds
from Capital Plus Financial LLC (“Capital Plus”), a community development
financial institution in Texas, and the transfer of $20,832 in second-draw loan

Case 1:24-cr-00167-PLM

ECF No. 2, PageID.7

Filed 11/06/24

Page 2 of 5

proceeds from Prestamos CDFI LLC (“Prestamos”), a community development
financial institution in Arizona, to an account controlled by the defendant in
Michigan.
The defendant reported fictitious income and expenses to qualify for the
loans, and certified that she would use the funds only for business related purposes
as authorized by PPP, when in fact, she spent the money on personal goods and
services. She then falsely certified that she had spent 100% of her first draw loan on
payroll costs, to induce the SBA to forgive her loan and repay Capital Plus on her
behalf.
For the purpose of executing the scheme and artifice, the defendant
knowingly and intentionally transmitted, and caused to be transmitted, by means of
wire communications in interstate commerce the following writings, signs, signals,
pictures, and sounds:
COUNT
1

DATE
March 22, 2021

2

March 29, 2021

3

April 2, 2021

4

April 24, 2021

5

April 24, 2021

6

May 28, 2021

7

September 6,
2021

DESCRIPTION
Borrower’s application to SBA for PPP first draw
loan no. 8288178610.
Lender’s application by Capital Plus to SBA for PPP
first draw loan no. 8288178610.
Deposit of PPP first draw loan disbursement from
Capital Plus for loan no. 8288178610, in amount
$20,832, to defendant’s PNC Bank account ending in
4596.
Borrower’s application to SBA for PPP second draw
loan no. 1240699009.
Lender’s application by Prestamos to SBA for PPP
second draw loan no. 1240699009.
Deposit of PPP second draw loan disbursement from
Prestamos, in amount $20,832, to defendant’s PNC
Bank account ending in 4596.
Application to SBA for loan forgiveness for PPP first
draw loan no. 8288178610.

Case 1:24-cr-00167-PLM

8

September 13,
2021

18 U.S.C. § 1343

ECF No. 2, PageID.8

Filed 11/06/24

Page 3 of 5

Transfer of $20,832 from SBA to Capital Plus in
repayment of PPP first draw loan no. 8288178610.

Case 1:24-cr-00167-PLM

ECF No. 2, PageID.9

Filed 11/06/24

Page 4 of 5

COUNTS 9-12
(Wire Fraud)
Between on or about November 28, 2020 and on or about February 1, 2022, in
Berrien County, in the Southern Division of the Western District of Michigan, and
elsewhere,
SHAKAYLA LORRENE TUCKER,
having devised a scheme and artifice to defraud, and to obtain money by means of
false and fraudulent pretenses and representations, caused signs, sounds, and
signals to be transmitted by wire in interstate commerce for the purpose of
executing the scheme.
The defendant electronically submitted an initial application and weekly
claims for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits to the Indiana Department of
Workforce Development (IDWD), and thereby caused IDWD to deposit
approximately $32,175 to an account she controlled. The defendant falsely
represented that she had been laid off by an employer in Indiana due to the COVID
pandemic, when in fact she had never worked for that employer.
The defendant also failed to disclose that she was already receiving UI
payments at the same time from the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency
(UIA). When IDWD suspended her benefits and sent her a notice of overpayment,
the defendant appealed, and falsely represented that she had never filed for UI in
any other state.

Case 1:24-cr-00167-PLM

ECF No. 2, PageID.10

Filed 11/06/24

Page 5 of 5

For the purpose of executing the scheme and artifice, the defendant
knowingly and intentionally transmitted, and caused to be transmitted, by means of
wire communication in interstate commerce the following writings, signs, signals,
pictures, and sounds:
COUNT DATE
9
November 28, 2020
10

November 15, 2021

11

November 30, 2021

12

February 1, 2022

DESCRIPTION
Application for Indiana UI benefits, claim no.
91498392.
Two letters faxed to Indiana DWD appealing
suspension of UI benefits.
Deposit of $24,244 lump sum Indiana UI benefits
for claim no. 914983392 to defendant’s Bancorp
Bank account ending in 4673.
Deposit of $3,143 lump sum Indiana UI benefits
for claim no. 914983392 to defendant’s Bancorp
Bank account ending in 4673.

18 U.S.C. § 1343

A TRUE BILL
__________________________________________
G A
RAND JURY O
FOREPERSON
MARK A. TOTTEN
United States Attorney
___________________________________
NILS R. KESSLER
Assistant United States Attorney



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