Tampa, FL – In a stunning revelation, twelve members of the Lakeland-based Hood Boys gang have been indicted for wire fraud, accused of defrauding the U.S. Small Business Administration through false PPP loan applications.
According to U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe, each defendant could face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. The accused, ranging in age from 24 to 39 and all residents of Lakeland, are alleged to have received between $13,854 and $20,416 each. Instead of repaying the loans, they reportedly spent the money on personal luxuries, such as car payments and store purchases at liquor, clothing, and gun stores.
The grand total of their fraudulent claims is estimated at approximately $236,000, stripping the United States of valuable relief funds intended for legitimate small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Named among the suspects are Jamilah T’Asia Johnson (25), Khalid Preston (29), Nickolas Lavonsoa Brantley (25), Alexis Lafaye Flournoy (34), Quinton Lakeith Owens (35), Tinika Sykes (35), Richard James Grimes, Jr. (39), Kenny White (31), Anthony Grant (31), Jacquez Howard (27), Treasure Johnson (28), and Letor’e Webster (24).
These charges are part of an ongoing investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Buchanan and Jeff Chang will handle the prosecution.
The Hood Boys gang’s alleged scheme was dismantled through the efforts of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency approach focused on dismantling high-level criminal organizations. For those with information about similar frauds, contact the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or file a complaint online.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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