Kelli Prather, COVID-19 Relief Fraud, Ohio 2023

A federal jury in Cincinnati, Ohio, has delivered a guilty verdict against Kelli Prather, 51, of Cincinnati, in a case involving her request for more than $1.2 million in pandemic relief loans.

According to testimony and evidence presented during the trial, which began on July 18, Prather applied for six Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans as part of the CARES Act COVID-19 pandemic relief. She claimed to own six businesses – Enhanced Healthcare Solutions, Life Skills Enhancement, Prather Property Management, Reliable Ambulette Services, Rich Glo Management Services, and Tots R Us.

Separately, Prather also applied for eight Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). In three of the EIDL applications filed in November 2020, she represented that the businesses were majority owned by her disabled nephew.

Prather sought more than $1.2 million in fraud relief and fraudulently received approximately $19,800.

The jury convicted her of six counts of bank fraud (punishable by up to 30 years in prison), one count of making false statements in connection to credit or loan applications (up to 30 years in prison), four counts of wire fraud (up to 20 years in prison), and three counts of aggravated identity theft (carrying a mandatory 2-year sentence to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed).

The court will set a date for sentencing following a pre-sentence investigation. Prather was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals after the jury returned its guilty verdicts.

Prather’s crimes were announced by Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General; and other members of the Financial Crimes Working Group Pandemic Fraud Committee in a joint statement.

Kelli Prather, a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, will face sentencing for her crimes at a later date.

This case is a stark reminder of the consequences of pandemic relief fraud. We will continue to work tirelessly to bring those who have committed these crimes to justice.

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