New Orleans Woman Charged for $1.3 Million COVID Fraud and Tax Evasion

Summary

U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle in New Orleans announced a two-count bill of information charging Amanda Clayborne-Williams, 44, with wire fraud and tax evasion. The bill alleges that between April 2020 and January 2021 she submitted twelve false and misleading applications for Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program loans seeking approximately $1.3 million, and received approximately $447,305.98, which she spent on personal and unauthorized expenses including a mortgage payment on her personal residence. It also alleges she tried to evade income tax by filing a false form with the IRS in November of 2022 that substantially understated her monthly income and assets. Wire fraud carries up to twenty (20) years of imprisonment and tax evasion up to five (5) years. A bill of information is merely a charge, and guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Full text

The alleged total loss to the Small Business Administration for the fraudulent loans is $447,305.98. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced a two-count bill of information, charging AMANDA CLAYBORNE-WILLIAMS (“CLAYBORNE-WILLIAMS”) , age 44, with wire fraud and tax evasion. Count One charged CLAYBORNE-WILLIAMS with wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Count Two charged CLAYBORNE-WILLIAMS with tax evasion, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 7201. According to the bill of information, between April 2020 and January 2021, CLAYBORNE-WILLIAMS submitted twelve false and misleading applications for loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program, seeking approximately $1.3 million. It is alleged that, as a result of these applications, CLAYBORNE-WILLIAMS received approximately $447,305.98 through fraud. CLAYBORNE-WILLIAMS then used the PPP and EIDL funds for personal and unauthorized expenses, including for a mortgage payment on her personal residence. In addition, CLAYBORNE-WILLIAMS attempted to evade paying income tax by filing a false form with the IRS in November of 2022, which substantially understated her monthly income and assets. If convicted of Count One, CLAYBORNE-WILLIAMS faces up to twenty (20) years of imprisonment. If convicted of Count Two, CLAYBORNE-WILLIAMS faces up to five (5) years of imprisonment. Each count also carries a term of supervised release for up to three (3) years and a fine of up to $250,000. A mandatory $100 special assessment fee for each count is also applicable. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service on this investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

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