NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Latricia Hope Haynes Moliere, 51, of LaPlace, Louisiana, is facing the consequences after a federal court exposed her scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA). Moliere was sentenced on July 10, 2025, to three years of probation and ordered to pay $22,742.71 in restitution for making False Statements, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.
The scheme unfolded in March 2021 when Moliere submitted a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application riddled with lies. She claimed ownership of a baking sole proprietorship, falsely inflating her average monthly payroll to $8,041. To bolster her fraudulent application, Moliere provided a forged Internal Revenue Service Form 1040 Schedule C – a blatant attempt to deceive the SBA and secure funds she wasn’t entitled to.
The deception didn’t end there. Just months after receiving $20,102 in SBA funds, Moliere filed for bankruptcy, conveniently omitting any mention of her supposed sole proprietorship. This contradiction further exposed the fabricated nature of her PPP application. The SBA, believing Moliere’s false claims, even forgave the loan, based on her continued lies about using the money for legitimate payroll expenses.
United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon handed down the sentence, including a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, alongside the probation and restitution order. While Moliere avoided prison time, the financial penalty and criminal record serve as a warning to others contemplating similar schemes. This case highlights the continued efforts to hold accountable those who exploited the pandemic relief programs for personal gain.
“This sentencing demonstrates our commitment to pursuing those who attempt to defraud federal programs,” stated Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson. The investigation was a joint effort between the United States Secret Service and the United States Trustee, showcasing the importance of interagency collaboration in combating financial crimes.
Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit led the prosecution. Anyone suspecting COVID-19 related fraud is encouraged to report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or through their web complaint form: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. For further information on the Department’s pandemic response, visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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