Jacksonville Woman Indicted For Credit Scheme And COVID Relief Fraud Involving The Paycheck Protection Program
Summary
United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces, in a release datelined Jacksonville, Florida, an indictment charging Carnisha Maurica Rogers, 30, of Jacksonville with four counts involving conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud and four counts of false representation of a Social Security number. The indictment alleges that from February 2016 through September 2019 Rogers and others recruited individuals to open lines of credit at businesses using other people's Social Security numbers, obtained jewelry and other merchandise, and resold some of it on social media. It also alleges that in May 2021 Rogers obtained a PPP loan of $20,832 with a false application for a business that did not exist, and in October 2021 sought forgiveness falsely claiming more than $18,000 in payroll costs; the SBA forgave the loan. The government seeks forfeiture of $20,832.
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Full text
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Carnisha Maurica Rogers (30, Jacksonville) with four counts involving conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, and four counts of false representation of a Social Security number involving a line of credit scheme and COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Rogers faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count involving wire fraud and up to 5 years in federal prison on each count involving the false representation of a Social Security number, payment of restitution to the victims she defrauded and forfeiture of $20,832, which is traceable to proceeds of the wire fraud offense involving COVID relief fraud. According to the indictment, Rogers and her co-conspirators fraudulently obtained the Social Security numbers (SSNs) of others. From February 2016 through September 2019, Rogers and others recruited individuals to obtain lines of credit at various businesses using the SSNs. After fraudulently obtaining the lines of credit, they obtained jewelry and other merchandise. They also attempted to obtain at least one luxury vehicle. Rogers and her co-conspirators resold some of the merchandise and lines of credit on social media platforms. In May 2021, Rogers submitted a PPP loan application to a lender authorized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to lend funds for approved PPP loan applications. The PPP loan application falsely claimed that Rogers operated her own business. Throughout the loan application Rogers made multiple false statements regarding her purported gross income and expenses associated with operating her business. In support of her PPP loan application, she submitted a false IRS Form 1040 - Profit or Loss From Business. It contained false statements about operating expenses, gross income, and wage expenditures for her purported business. In truth, Rogers’s business did not exist. In reliance on the false statements in her loan application, her application was approved, and she received a PPP loan totaling $20,832. After receiving the PPP loan proceeds in her bank account, Rogers began making withdrawals and spending the funds on personal expenses. In October 2021, Rogers submitted a PPP loan forgiveness application to the SBA that included multiple false representations. In the application, she falsely claimed that she spent more than $18,000 on payroll costs and that the PPP loan proceeds were only used for eligible purposes. In reliance on her false statements the SBA forgave the entire loan, plus accrued interest. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
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