AUGUSTA, GA – Jacinthia Williams, 44, of Augusta, is trading freedom for a federal prison cell after admitting she lied to get her hands on COVID-19 relief money. Williams was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to Wire Fraud, according to Acting U.S. Attorney David H. Estes.
The scheme involved falsifying applications for loans under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, funded by the CARES Act. In June and July 2020, Williams allegedly inflated the number of employees and pre-pandemic earnings of businesses she claimed to represent, securing a total of $137,500 in fraudulent loans. While some of the stolen funds were returned to the SBA, she still owes a hefty $61,600 in restitution, ordered by Chief U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall.
“Funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Security (CARES) Act was provided to help small businesses survive pandemic-related losses,” Estes stated. “When unscrupulous actors attempt to swindle the funds for their own enrichment, those criminals will be held accountable.” The feds aren’t kidding around with these pandemic scams, and Williams is now facing the consequences.
Federal investigators from multiple agencies – the SBA Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the U.S. Secret Service – teamed up to unravel the fraud. Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the SBA OIG’s Eastern Region, emphasized the agency’s commitment to pursuing those who exploit SBA programs. Steven Baisel, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the U.S. Secret Service, called Williams’ actions “the definition of greed,” highlighting the betrayal of taxpayers.
The Secret Service, normally known for protecting dignitaries, played a key role in uncovering the financial misdeeds. J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, also vowed to aggressively pursue those defrauding CARES Act programs. This case underscores the coordinated effort to combat pandemic-related financial crime.
Anyone suspecting COVID-19-related fraud can report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) at 1-866-720-5721 or via their web complaint form: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. Schwedler and Jonathan A. Porter.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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