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Shantelle Hawkins, 43, Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Relief Fraud
A Texas woman has been handed a serious sentence for her role in a scheme to swindle COVID-19 relief funds meant for small businesses. Shantelle Hawkins, of DeSoto, was sentenced to 3 years and 5 months in prison for her participation in a scheme to file false loan applications under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents, between May 2020 and March 2021, Hawkins conspired to submit 17 fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of companies she or her relatives owned or controlled. The applications contained false statements about payroll and tax information, which the Small Business Administration (SBA) used to calculate the amount of PPP funds to which the applicant-companies would be entitled.
Hawkins used some of the money she obtained from the loans for personal expenses, including to pay off her 2015 Maserati Ghibli luxury car and to purchase property in the greater Dallas area. The court documents revealed that Hawkins had used the funds to enrich herself, rather than to support her businesses as intended.
Hawkins pleaded guilty on October 8, 2024, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. At sentencing, Hawkins was ordered to pay more than $1.8 million in restitution and to forfeit the residence purchased with proceeds from the fraud.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson for the Northern District of Texas; and Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI’s Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Dermot Lynch and Kashan Pathan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elyse Lyons for the Northern District of Texas is handling asset forfeiture.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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