Chicago Trio Accused of $2M Covid Relief Scam

CHICAGO – Three individuals are facing federal charges after allegedly pilfering over $2 million in Covid-19 relief funds, prosecutors announced today. TANIKA ECHOLS, 45, ANTONIO ECHOLS, 50, and TAMIA THOMPSON DAVIS, 27, stand accused of a brazen scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, two lifelines thrown to struggling businesses during the pandemic.

According to the indictment, returned in the Northern District of Illinois, the trio submitted over 100 fraudulent applications between 2020 and 2022, not only on their own behalf but also for seven other individuals and two businesses owned by Tanika Echols and Antonio Echols. These applications were allegedly riddled with lies – inflated employee numbers, fabricated revenue figures, and bogus expense claims – all designed to siphon off federal dollars. The scheme netted approximately $1.7 million in fraudulent PPP loans and $307,000 in EIDL funds.

But where did the money go? It wasn’t used to keep businesses afloat or pay employees, according to the indictment. Instead, the funds were allegedly diverted for personal use. A particularly galling detail revealed by prosecutors: a shopping spree at Andriana Furs in Chicago, where the defendants reportedly purchased mink coats. This isn’t a case of struggling entrepreneurs; it’s a case of blatant greed during a national crisis.

Tanika Echols, formerly of South Holland, Ill., and currently residing in Austin, Texas, is facing the most severe charges: 13 counts of wire fraud and 7 counts of money laundering. Her husband, Antonio Echols, also of Austin, Texas, and formerly of South Holland, is charged with three counts of wire fraud. Their daughter, Tamia Thompson Davis, 27, of Austin, Texas, is accused of four counts of wire fraud. All three pleaded not guilty during arraignments before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert last week.

The case is being spearheaded by United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Andrew S. Boutros, alongside Special Agents-in-Charge Basil Demczak (Amtrak OIG) and Mark Reeves (U.S. Railroad Retirement Board OIG). Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner is handling the prosecution. A status hearing is scheduled for August 13, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin. If convicted, the defendants face serious prison time: up to 20 years for each wire fraud count and 10 years for each money laundering count.

Prosecutors emphasize that an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The Department of Justice encourages anyone with information regarding Covid-19 related fraud to report it via the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or online at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. This case serves as a stark reminder that those who exploit crises for personal gain will be held accountable.

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