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Grimy Times Exclusive
MEMPHIS, TN – In a shocking case of government corruption, five former IRS employees have been sentenced for defrauding federal COVID-19 relief programs. The case was brought as part of an interagency effort to combat and prevent such fraud by federal employees.
Brian Saulsberry, 48, of Memphis, was employed by the IRS as a Program Evaluation and Risk Analyst in the Human Capital Office in Memphis, Tennessee. Saulsberry laundered funds he received from a scheme to defraud the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, a federal stimulus program authorized to provide loans to small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Saulsberry submitted false EIDL applications and obtained $171,400 in loan funds. After obtaining the fraudulent loan funds, Saulsberry transferred the funds to his personal checking account. He then used the loan funds for purposes not authorized by the EIDL Program, but instead transferred $100,000 to an investment account, knowing that the property involved in the transaction was derived from unlawful activity.
On September 25, 2024, Saulsberry was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Sheryl H. Lipman to 18 months of imprisonment with 2 years of supervised release to follow and was ordered to provide $171,400 to the Government in forfeiture. This sentence is a clear indication that the government will not tolerate corruption within its own ranks.
The other four former IRS employees, Courtney Quinshe Westmoreland, 40, Fatina Hewitt, 37, Roderick DeMarco White II, 29, and Tina Humes, 58, were convicted for defrauding federal stimulus programs authorized as part of the CARES Act, including the EIDL Program and the Paycheck Protection Program. The five former federal employees collectively sought over $1 million. They then used the loan funds to invest in personal accounts, purchase cars and luxury goods, and pay for personal travel, including trips to Las Vegas.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee, Acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Heather M. Hill, and Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) made the announcement.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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