CHARLESTON, S.C. — A quartet of Summerville residents and one North Charleston local have been handed heavy sentences after being convicted in a massive COVID-19 loan fraud scheme that siphoned nearly $300,000 from federal relief funds.
Staci Harley, 41, was the ring-leader with her husband Anthony Harley, 40. Both were sentenced to three years for wire fraud after pleading guilty. The Harleys’ co-conspirators were Benjamin Blue, 42, who got one year and one day; Sheniqua Mitchell, 37, who was handed 33 months; and Roberta Harley, 61, who walked away with a time-served sentence after pleading to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
The Harleys and their accomplices exploited the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Emergency Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) under the CARES Act, submitting falsified documents to secure loans and grants. The total haul from three EIDL advances and 12 PPP Loans was $295,841.
“These sentences send a clear message that those who seek to profit by defrauding federal relief programs will face justice,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to protect the integrity of these vital funds.”
The Secret Service and FBI were instrumental in the investigation, with Resident Agent in Charge Ben Stafford noting, “This is a victory for the rule of law and a reminder that those who exploit government aid for personal gain are subject to thorough scrutiny.”
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Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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