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Tiera Lands, PPP & EIDL Fraud, Baton Rouge LA, 2023
Baton Rouge, LA – Tiera R. Lands, 30, has confessed to a brazen scheme to fleece the federal government out of over $1.1 million in COVID-19 relief funds. Lands pled guilty to wire fraud and money laundering before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson, admitting she filed a barrage of false applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) assistance.
Lands operated several businesses, including Virtuous Credit Solutions (“VCS”) and Virtuous Call Center, ostensibly offering credit counseling, tax prep, and loan assistance. But starting in March 2020, the operation morphed into a full-blown fraud, with Lands submitting bogus applications not only for her own businesses but also on behalf of others in the Baton Rouge area. She wasn’t just skimming off the top; she was systematically exploiting a system designed to help struggling businesses survive the pandemic.
The scheme was multi-faceted. For the EIDL program, Lands secured $7,000 for VCS, then immediately filed *two more* applications for the same company, seeking an additional $300,000 based on fabricated information. She then extended the fraud to three other businesses, securing approximately $450,000 in illicit funds. The PPP program saw a similar pattern: after receiving $20,000 for VCS, Lands submitted two more fraudulent applications, inflating figures and forging documents. She then filed at least seven *more* false applications, inflating gross sales and payroll for other businesses.
Lands didn’t stop at securing the fraudulent loans. She actively laundered the proceeds, structuring cash deposits to avoid triggering reporting requirements. On July 3, 2020, she deposited $5,900 and then, two minutes later, another $5,100 into VCS’ bank account. Ten days later, over a 92-minute span late at night, she made *five* separate cash deposits totaling $11,000. This wasn’t an oversight; it was a calculated effort to hide the source of the illegally obtained money.
Federal investigators from the U.S. Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office unraveled the complex web of lies and deceit. The investigation revealed a total actual and intended loss exceeding $1.1 million. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Stevens, also serving as Senior Litigation Counsel, is prosecuting the case.
Lands now faces the consequences of her actions. While sentencing details have not yet been released, she will undoubtedly be held accountable for her deliberate and large-scale abuse of the COVID-19 relief programs. This case serves as a stark reminder that those who attempt to profit from national emergencies will be pursued and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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