San Antonio Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding COVID Relief Program

Summary

A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas dated Thursday, November 20, 2025, announcing that Leticia Arceneaux, 48, of San Antonio, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay $492,841.78 in restitution for wire fraud. According to the release, which cites court documents, from around August 2020 through around April 2022 she obtained Covid relief loans in the amount of $480,100 and converted the funds to her own use. The release states that in August 2020 she applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan for a volleyball club, that the SBA funded $149,900, and that she used the funds for personal expenses including a golf cart and a swimming pool.

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Press Release

San Antonio Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding COVID Relief Program

Thursday, November 20, 2025

For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay $492,841.78 in restitution for wire fraud.

According to court documents, Leticia Arceneaux, 48, worked full time from home as a human resources supervisor for an agency within the Department of Energy. Beginning in or around August 2020 and continuing through on or around April 2022, Arceneaux unlawfully enriched herself by applying for and receiving Covid relief loans in the amount to $480,100 and converting the funds to her own personal use.

In August 2020, Arceneaux submitted an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application on behalf of a volleyball club, claiming she needed the EIDL proceeds to continue operating the volleyball club. Later that month, the Small Business Administration funded an EIDL in the amount of $149,900 to Arceneaux. Instead of using the EIDL funds for volleyball related expenses, Arceneaux utilized the funds for her own personal expenses, including a golf cart and the installation of a swimming pool at her primary residence.

In May 2021, Arceneaux submitted a loan modification request to the SBA seeking additional funds for the volleyball club. Relying on Arceneaux’s false representations, the SBA disbursed $91,000 on or about Aug. 9, 2021. On Aug. 11, 2021, Arceneaux transferred approximately $31,000 of the EIDL funds from the volleyball club’s business account to her personal account.

In April 2022, Arceneaux applied for a second loan modification seeking additional funds to operate the volleyball club. Relying again on the false representations, the SBA disbursed $239,100 to Arceneaux on or about April 29, 2022. Arceneaux converted the funds for personal use, using approximately $72,000 of EIDL funds to pay down personal credit card debt.

U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

The Department of Energy Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Playton prosecuted the case.

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Contact

USATXW.MediaInquiry@usdoj.gov

Updated November 20, 2025

Topic

Financial Fraud

Component

USAO - Texas, Western

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