Bria Peters, a 38-year-old former New Orleans resident, has been charged with CARES Act fraud. Peters, who now resides in Houston, Texas, was charged on August 18, 2023, with making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
The CARES Act, established on March 27, 2020, provided for the expansion of several programs to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs was the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which authorized forgivable loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll.
According to the charging documents, Peters made false statements to an approved lender on or about May 27, 2021, for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan in the amount of approximately $29,166.00. Peters stated in her PPP application that she owned a clothing business impacted by the pandemic, when in truth, she had no such business in 2020.
Peters faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release for the false statements count. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee due after conviction.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more information on the government’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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