Profiles · PrincipalsControversial
- Type
- Person
- Role
- Executive
- Programs
- PPP
- Updated
The profile
An Olive Branch, Mississippi tax-preparation business owner who pleaded guilty to defrauding COVID-19 relief programs of more than $5 million, and was separately indicted in a smaller Memphis PPP kickback scheme involving fake IRS documents.
Individuals whose conduct was challenged or called into question during or after the pandemic. See sources: DOJ charging release, Dec. 9, 2022
Identity and role
Lisa Evans, of Olive Branch, Mississippi (also described in one indictment as a Memphis-area business owner), operated USA Taxes and was charged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. "Lisa Evans" is a common name; this profile is limited to the individual named in these specific cases.
Biography / career arc
Evans operated USA Taxes, a Memphis-area tax-preparation business; no further independent, publicly documented career details were identified.
The scheme and pandemic-relief role
Two separate matters are documented:
- A larger COVID-19 relief fraud scheme, in which the SBA Office of Inspector General's sentencing announcement and DOJ's plea release state Evans defrauded relief programs of more than $5 million.
- A smaller PPP matter, prosecuted with co-defendant Kevin Shaw, in which DOJ and the U.S. Secret Service releases allege Evans and Shaw used fake IRS documents and received a kickback from a fraudulent PPP application for USA Taxes, with a related PPP loan for USA Taxes originated through Celtic Bank Corporation.
Legal status / controversies
- Indicted: December 2022, on conspiracy to commit bank fraud and false statements to a federally insured bank, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee (USA Taxes/Kevin Shaw matter; we do not have copies of the DOJ and Secret Service releases).
- Pleaded guilty: to the separate, larger $5 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme, per DOJ USAO-WDTN ("Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud COVID-19 Relief Program of Over $5,000,000").
- Sentenced: to federal prison for the $5 million scheme, per the SBA OIG announcement ("Olive Branch Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding COVID-19 Relief Program of Over $5,000,000," Sept. 16, 2025; we have a copy).
Where they are now (2025–2026)
Not publicly documented beyond the September 2025 sentencing announcement.
Sources
- DOJ USAO-WDTN, "Two Memphis Business Owners Charged with Pandemic Relief Fraud": Two Memphis Business Owners Charged in Pandemic Relief Fraud (original: justice.gov · stored capture)
- U.S. Secret Service, "Two Memphis Business Owners Charged with Pandemic Relief Fraud": https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2022/12/two-memphis-business-owners-charged-pandemic-relief-fraud local copy
- DOJ USAO-WDTN, "Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud COVID-19 Relief Program of Over $5,000,000": Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud (original: justice.gov · stored capture)
- SBA, "Olive Branch Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding COVID-19 Relief Program of Over $5,000,000" (Sept. 16, 2025): https://www.sba.gov/article/2025/09/16/olive-branch-woman-sentenced-federal-prison-defrauding-covid-19-relief-program-over-5000000 local copy
- Local archive copy: L4-0046 olive branch woman sentenced to federal prison for defrauding covid-19-relief program of over-5-000-000