ALICIA AYERS, 37, and ANDREA AYERS, 57, of Mount Vernon, New York, were sentenced to two years and 42 months in prison, respectively, for a COVID-19-related fraud scheme.
The mother-daughter duo defrauded the US Small Business Administration out of approximately $1.7 million in a scheme that exploited the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program.
According to the indictment, ALICIA AYERS and ANDREA AYERS used the identities of approximately 300 other individuals to submit online applications to the SBA, seeking over $3 million in funds.
The applicants falsely represented to the SBA that they owned businesses with 10 or more employees, when in reality, most of the applicants did not own businesses or have any employees.
The SBA made advance payments of approximately $1,690,000 to the applicants, who then kicked back a portion of the advance payments to ALICIA AYERS and ANDREA AYERS.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey C. Coffman and Courtney L. Heavey leading the prosecution.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their outstanding investigative work in the case.
ALICIA AYERS and ANDREA AYERS were each sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $1,690,000 and to pay restitution to the SBA in the amount of $1,690,000.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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