Jaimeka Mechelle Austin, PPP Loan Fraud, Virginia 2021

A shocking crime has rocked the city of Roanoke, Virginia, as 24 individuals have been indicted for their roles in a massive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud scheme. At the center of the scheme is Jaimeka Mechelle Austin, 31, who allegedly led the operation, along with her accomplice Kiearra Desaray Gardner.

According to the indictment, Austin and Gardner, along with their co-conspirators, participated in a scheme to obtain PPP loans between June 2020 and May 2021. The scheme involved collecting personal information from various friends and acquaintances who already owned businesses, and then submitting fraudulent PPP loan applications on their behalf. If individuals did not already have an established business, Austin and Gardner would create a sham business entity with no actual operations or employees in order to fraudulently claim benefits through the PPP loan program.

The indictment alleges that Austin, Gardner, and their co-conspirators facilitated dozens of fraudulent loan applications, obtaining more than $1.5 million in benefits to which they were not entitled. This is a staggering amount, and one that highlights the scope of the scheme.

The charges brought against the defendants include wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, making false statements, and fraud in relation to an emergency benefits program. This is a serious list of crimes, and one that carries significant penalties.

The investigation into this scheme is ongoing, and it is likely that we will see more charges brought against the defendants in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, the people of Roanoke can take comfort in knowing that their government is working tirelessly to root out corruption and bring those responsible to justice.

Jaimeka Mechelle Austin, 31, Ta'Quan De'Carlos Austin, 34, Richard David Henson Brown, 35, Israel Antonio Cunningham, 36, Rahiim Noel Cunningham, 27, Timothy Edward Cunningham, Jr., 26, Mikkielia Sentoyia Fisher, 37, Joshua Scott Fleming, 32, Kiearra Desaray Gardner, 35, Sierra Desaray Garrison, 39, Deshawn Lamar Johnson, 34, Antonio Devaughn Levesy, 36, and Squeaky Clean Car Wash, LLC are among the 24 individuals charged in this scheme. Charges include wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, making false statements, and fraud in relation to an emergency benefits program.

The indictment was unsealed on [unspecified date] and alleges that the scheme took place between June 2020 and May 2021. The total amount of benefits obtained through the scheme is over $1.5 million.

Jaimeka Mechelle Austin, the leader of the scheme, is described as the purported owner of Mechelle's Boutique LLC. Her accomplice, Kiearra Desaray Gardner, is described as the purported owner of businesses in the name of Kiearra Gardner and Kustom Kreationz by Kie LLC.

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The program was put in place to help small businesses keep their employees paid and their doors open during the pandemic.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva/pr/24-indicted-roanoke-paycheck-protection-program-fraud-scheme