Delaware Woman Admits Role in COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud Scheme (Press Release, April 16, 2025)

Summary

Press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey, dated April 16, 2025. U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced that Adrienne Ponzo of Bear, Delaware, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to one count of wire fraud conspiracy, admitting a conspiracy to obtain more than $1 million of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). The release says Ponzo prepared fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications and fraudulent bank statements and tax returns for companies recruited by co-conspirators, and received a portion of the loan proceeds. The count is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; sentencing is scheduled for August 26, 2025.

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PRESS RELEASE


Delaware Woman Admits Role in COVID-
19 Relief Program Fraud Scheme
Wednesday, April 16, 2025

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Delaware woman admitted to conspiring to obtain more than $1
million of federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster
Loans (EIDL), U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

Adrienne Ponzo, 50, of Bear, Delaware, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen
M. Williams to one count of wire fraud conspiracy.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in
court:

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted
in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the
millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19
pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of
hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention
and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection
Program (PPP). The CARES Act also authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration
(SBA) to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to eligible
small businesses that were experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.

To obtain a PPP or EIDL loan, a qualifying small business was required to submit an
application and provide information on its operations, including the number of
employees and revenues or expenses. In addition, businesses generally had to provide
supporting documentation such as tax returns and bank statements.

Adrienne Ponzo conspired with others to defraud the SBA and the PPP
program. Ponzo’s co-conspirators recruited individuals who owned companies with
little or no operations and introduced them to Ponzo. Ponzo prepared fraudulent PPP
and EIDL applications for these businesses and caused them to be electronically
submitted to the SBA and PPP lenders. Ponzo prepared fraudulent bank statements and
tax returns for companies that did not have them. Ponzo received a portion of the loan
proceeds for her role in the scheme. 14 loans totaling nearly $1,500,000 were part of
the scheme.

The count of wire fraud conspiracy is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison
and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 26, 2025.

U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Patricia Tarasca,
Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Regional Office; special agents of the FBI’s South
Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs in
Philadelphia; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector
General, Boston New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge
Amy Connelly; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector
General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan
Mellone, with the investigation leading to this guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Friedman and
Attorney-in-Charge Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division
in Camden.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the
defendant is considered innocent unless proven guilty.

                                             ###

Defense counsel:

Troy A. Archie, Esq., Cinnaminson, New Jersey

ponzo.indictment.pdf
Updated April 16, 2025

Topics
FINANCIAL FRAUD

HEALTH CARE FRAUD
Component
USAO - New Jersey


Press Release Number: 25-107


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