CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In a stunning revelation, Shamiese Wright, 32, of Charleston, has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting money laundering in a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud scheme, according to court documents. The fraudulent scheme siphoned funds intended for struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wright, who is accused of receiving $15,625 from a criminally derived PPP loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA), admitted that she was not self-employed and never earned $75,000 in any year, as falsely claimed on her application. The fraudulent documents were crafted to deceive lenders into approving the loan.
Co-defendant Kisha Sutton, who submitted the fraudulent application on Wright’s behalf, transferred $3,000 from the loan proceeds to Wright using a digital wallet app. Wright confessed that the money was paid as compensation for facilitating the submission of her fraudulent loan application. She then spent the remaining funds on personal expenses.
Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), forgivable PPP loans were offered to help businesses during the pandemic. However, Wright’s actions turned this relief into a criminal enterprise.
Scheduled for sentencing on October 29, 2025, Wright faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. She owes up to $18,736.73 in restitution. Her co-defendants, including Kisha Sutton, are also facing stiff penalties.
The investigation was 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). The Department of Justice encourages anyone with information about similar frauds to report it through their National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or online form.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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