Western District of Oklahoma Joins DOJ Fraud Division, SBA, and SBA OIG in Surge Takedown Exceeding $245 Million in COVID-Era Loan Fraud

Press release — Western District of Oklahoma Joins DOJ Fraud Division, SBA, and SBA OIG in Surge Takedown Exceeding $245 Million in COVID-Era Loan Fraud, dated 2026-09-14, issued by U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Oklahoma.

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{"metadata":{"responseInfo":{"status":200},"resultset":{"count":"1","pagesize":20,"page":0},"executionTime":0.0060770511627197266},"results":[{"attachment":"","body":"40 U.S. Attorney\u2019s Offices, along with 20 federal and state investigative agencies, participate in two-month enforcement surgeOKLAHOMA CITY \u2013 The U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma today announced charges against five defendants as part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department\u2019s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration, and the SBA Office of Inspector General targeting fraud in the SBA\u2019s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Western District of Oklahoma was a key participant in this surge effort.From June 12 to September 1, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated fraud enforcement actions spanning over 160 criminal defendants, including approximately 80 newly charged defendants, reaching approximately $245 million dollars in intended loss to American taxpayers.\u201cThose who exploited pandemic relief programs stole resources intended for legitimate businesses struggling to keep their doors open,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. \u201cThe cases brought in the Western District of Oklahoma demonstrate that fraud committed years ago will not simply be forgotten. Our office will continue to follow the evidence, pursue those who abused these programs, and seek justice on behalf of the American taxpayers who funded them.\u201d\u201cPandemic loan relief was meant to keep American small businesses alive during government lockdowns\u2014not line the pockets of fraudsters,\u201d said Attorney General Todd Blanche. \u201cThe defendants charged during our summer surge allegedly fabricated businesses, submitted false payroll and revenue claims, stole identities, and concealed foreign ties on their applications\u2014 but they will now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.\u201d\u201cThis summer surge shows what is possible when dedicated public servants across the country work together with a single purpose,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. \u201cOur mission is clear: protect taxpayer funds, safeguard the integrity of federal relief programs, and deliver justice to those who exploited them. We will remain steadfast every day\u2014standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners\u2014to identify fraud, pursue those responsible, and restore confidence in the programs meant to help American small businesses thrive.\u201d\u201cToday\u2019s announcement represents the largest-ever action against perpetrators of SBA fraud, with 870,000 suspended borrowers tied to $39 billion in suspected fraudulent PPP and COVID EIDL activity. In partnership with Vice President Vance and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, we\u2019re putting fraudsters on notice: the federal government will no longer turn a blind eye to those who stole from taxpayers and exploited programs designed to sustain small businesses during the pandemic,\u201d said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. \u201cWith demand letters going out to suspected fraudsters, we\u2019re also sending a clear message that they must repay their debts or face Treasury collections and possible federal law enforcement. Under this Administration, the free ride is over. We are restoring accountability, recovering taxpayer dollars, and protecting SBA programs for the legitimate small businesses they were created to serve.\u201d\u201cOperation No Doze brings a focused and coordinated approach to pursuing fraud in SBA\u2019s pandemic relief programs,\u201d said SBA Inspector General William Kirk. \u201cBy concentrating our investigative resources and working closely with SBA and our law enforcement partners, we are strengthening our ability to identify fraud, recover taxpayer funds, and hold accountable those who exploited programs created to help small businesses in a time of extraordinary need. This initiative makes clear that the passage of time does not diminish our commitment to accountability.\u201d\u0026nbsp;In the Western District of Oklahoma, the following defendants have been charged:\u0026nbsp;Leroy Sha-Ron Thompson, Jr., 34, of Georgia; Emily Witty, 31, of Texas; and Mark Parnell, 32, of Texas: From March 2021 through January 2022, Thompson, Witty, and Parnell conspired with each other and others to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications supported by false documents, including bank statements and tax records. In total, the defendants assisted in creating more than 100 fraudulent PPP loan applications. All three defendants pleaded guilty in June 2026 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and face up to 30\u0026nbsp; years in federal prison and fines of up to $1,000,000.00 at sentencing.\u0026nbsp;Olabode Nurudeen Jimoh, 54, of Yukon, Oklahoma: Beginning in April 2020, Jimoh submitted fraudulent applications for one EIDL and five PPP loans by making false statements about his businesses\u2019 income, payroll, and number of employees, and falsely certifying that the proceeds would be used for authorized business purposes. As a result, Jimoh fraudulently obtained $484,266 in EIDL and PPP loan proceeds, which he instead used for personal expenses. Jimoh pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $484,266 in restitution.Kingsley Tazinya, 40, of Oklahoma City: In May 2020, Tazinya submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application to MidFirst Bank in which he falsely claimed his business had 13 employees and an average monthly payroll of more than $99,000. Based on the fraudulent application, Tazinya obtained approximately $249,600 in PPP loan proceeds that were transferred to a bank account he controlled. Tazinya pleaded guilty to bank fraud and was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $564,500 in restitution.Assistant U.S. Attorneys D.H. Dilbeck, Danielle London, and Jackson D. Eldridge are prosecuting the cases.\u0026nbsp;As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force, this investigation was conducted by Manager Steve Hanson. The PRAC promotes transparency and supports oversight of the funds provided by the CARES Act, other emergency coronavirus-related spending bills, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The PRAC and its member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, including in spending in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC\u2019s\u0026nbsp;advanced data analytics center, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (\u201cFraud Division\u201d). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department\u2019s work to combat fraud supports President Trump\u2019s 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.","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-14T17:54:00-04:00\u0022\u003E1789422840\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"d6be3941-8347-4608-805f-23c4b4fd7d28","name":"USAO - Oklahoma, Western"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-14T17:52:24-04:00\u0022\u003E1789422744\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1789387200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"","title":"Western District of Oklahoma Joins DOJ Fraud Division, SBA, and SBA OIG in Surge Takedown Exceeding $245 Million in COVID-Era Loan Fraud","topic":[{"uuid":"6827a162-b783-4ffa-a6c2-596fc9f07e39","name":"COVID-Related Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wdok\/pr\/western-district-oklahoma-joins-doj-fraud-division-sba-and-sba-oig-surge-takedown","uuid":"15882043-0535-4b5a-84d2-379d9439ba24"}]}

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