Kansas City Woman Sentenced to 11 Years for COVID-19 Fraud

Summary

A U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri press release dated 2025-09-30 announcing that U.S. District Judge Greg Kays sentenced Briauna Adams of Kansas City, Mo. to 11 years imprisonment on guilty pleas covering a stolen Treasury check scheme and a PPP loan conspiracy, including aggravated identity theft and money laundering. According to the release, Adams rented a townhome in Raymore, Mo. under another person's identity, deposited a fraudulent Treasury check worth $1,445,443.69 that was reversed, and kept approximately 253 stolen Treasury checks worth approximately $700,000. It states that she filed false PPP applications for numerous people, causing a loss of approximately $540,302, which she was ordered to repay in restitution.

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Full text

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her leadership role in two cases that resulted in more than $500,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and more than $3,000,000 in stolen Treasury checks.
Briauna Adams, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 11 years imprisonment based upon her guilty pleas to wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of government funds relating to a counterfeit check scheme and stolen United States Treasury checks.  The defendant also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering relating to a scheme to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans, guaranteed by the SBA under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents, Adams rented a townhome in Raymore, Mo., using the name and personal identification information of another person. On July 27, 2024, Adams opened an individual investment account from the Raymore residence.  On Aug. 15, 2024, Adams deposited a Treasury check worth $1,445,443.69 in her name to the investment account. Fraud investigators with the investment account company determined the $1,445,443.69 Treasury check was fraudulent and reversed the deposit before suffering a financial loss.
On Nov. 14, 2024, a search warrant was executed on Adam’s rental townhome in Raymore.  Approximately 253 stolen Treasury checks were found in the residence.  The total value of the checks was approximately $700,000.
Finally, Adams conspired with others to prepare and file fraudulent PPP loan applications on their behalf.  Adams filed false PPP loan applications for numerous persons resulting in a loss of approximately $540,302, which she was ordered to pay back in a restitution judgment.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department.

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www.justice.gov