Tampa, FL – A Georgia couple has been indicted for allegedly orchestrating a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration of over $1.7 million in COVID-19 relief funds, as announced by United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. Earlisha Louis and Somoza Louis, both aged 44 from Newnan, Georgia, face charges including one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. If found guilty, each could face up to 30 years in federal prison for each count.
In addition, Earlisha Louis faces two counts of illegal monetary transactions, each carrying a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. According to the indictment, between April 2020 and June 2021, the Louis duo allegedly submitted false Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications. These programs were enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide economic support during the pandemic. The indictment further claims that Earlisha Louis transferred over $10,000 of fraudulent proceeds between her accounts.
The United States plans to seize a residence and approximately $1,705,553.80 believed to be linked to the fraudulent activities. This case was investigated by the Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn E. Hoenemeyer.
In May 2021, the Attorney General launched the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to strengthen efforts against pandemic-related fraud by working with various government agencies. This initiative focuses on prosecuting key offenders and bolstering prevention measures in relief programs.
The Department of Justice encourages anyone with information on potential COVID-19 fraud to report it through the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline or the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
