Jersey Woman Convicted in $15K PPP Scam

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kisha Sutton, 44, of Jersey City, New Jersey, is facing up to 50 years in prison after a federal jury found her guilty on July 15, 2025, of aiding and abetting bank fraud and laundering of monetary instruments. The conviction stems from a brazen scheme to steal $15,625 in COVID-19 relief funds intended for struggling businesses.

The evidence presented in court painted a clear picture of collusion. Sutton worked hand-in-hand with co-defendant Shamiese Wright to secure a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan. Wright, posing as a self-employed individual, falsely claimed $75,000 in 2020 income. The application, riddled with lies and backed by a fabricated IRS Form 1040, was a calculated attempt to exploit the CARES Act.

The scheme unfolded with chilling efficiency. A Florida lender approved the bogus application, and $15,625 landed in Wright’s Charleston bank account in May 2021. Within days, Wright began funneling $3,000 to Sutton via a digital wallet, deliberately obscuring the transactions with misleading descriptions – a transparent attempt to conceal the source of the stolen funds. Wright had received unemployment benefits in 2020 and had never earned $75,000 in any year.

Federal prosecutors emphasized the betrayal inherent in the crime. “The CARES Act offered emergency assistance to struggling small businesses that were impacted by the pandemic. The defendant chose to exploit that lifeline for personal enrichment,” stated Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. The PPP was designed to *help* those devastated by the pandemic, not to line the pockets of criminals.

Sutton is scheduled for sentencing on November 13, 2025, and will also be required to pay restitution, the amount of which will be determined by the court. Wright, 32, of Charleston, already pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting laundering of monetary instruments on July 14, 2025, and faces sentencing on October 29, 2025. This isn’t an isolated incident. William Powell, 35, of Huntington, and Damisha Brown, 32, of Charleston, have also admitted guilt to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, with sentencing dates in August and October, respectively. Jasmine Spencer, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting bank fraud in March and awaits sentencing in August.

The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), highlights the ongoing federal effort to combat COVID-19 fraud. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the trial, with Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuting the case. The total fraudulent PPP loans implicated in this network reach $140,625, a stark reminder of the widespread abuse of pandemic relief programs.

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