Two Roanoke individuals were allegedly the masterminds behind a COVID-19 fraud submitting false Payment Protection Program applications for fictional and closed businesses.
Jaimeka Mechelle Austin and Kiearra Desaray Gardner allegedly collected personal information including date of birth and social security numbers from acquaintances and submitted applications on their behalf.
For an additional fee, the pair allegedly would create a sham business entity for the applicant.
Several of these individuals who applied for PPP loans for their purported businesses were simultaneously applying for unemployment benefits.
Austin, Gardner and other co-conspirators facilitated dozens of fraudulent loan applications to obtain more than $1.5 million in benefits to which they were not entitled, according to court records.
A federal grand jury in Roanoke returned a sealed indictment earlier this month charging 24 individuals from the Greater Roanoke area with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, making false statements and fraud in an emergency benefits scam.
Those charged include:
- Jaimeka Mechelle Austin, 31, purported owner of Mechelle’s Boutique LLC
- Ta’Quan De’Carlos Austin, 34, purported owner of Quan’o’s Chimney Sweep LLC
- Richard David Henson Brown, 35, purported owner of Immaculate Balla Cleaning Service LLC
- Israel Antonio Cunningham, 36, purported owner of Tate’s Lawn Care & Services LLC
- Rahiim Noel Cunningham, 27, purported owner of Quanie’s Lounge LLC
- Timothy Edward Cunningham, Jr., 26, purported owner of Gen5 Dog Kennels LLC
- Mikkielia Sentoyia Fisher, 37, purported owner of Mad Stylez Clothing
- Joshua Scott Fleming, 32, purported owner of Clear N Shine Auto Detail
- Kiearra Desaray Gardner, 35, purported owner of businesses in the name of Kiearra Gardner and Kustom Kreationz by Kie LLC
- Sierra Desaray Garrison, 39, purported owner of Major Pressure LLC
- Deshawn Lamar Johnson, 34, purported owner of Affordable Car Care LLC
- Antonio Devaughn Levesy, 36, purported owner of Squeaky Clean Mobile Detailing LLC
- Millot Kevin Lexima, 30, purported owner of Plugd N Kennel LLC
- Xavier Lee Manigault, 31, purported owner of The Goat Car Care LLC
- Talisha Geornell Otey, 33, purported owner of businesses in the name of Talisha, Lash Tech, and the Butterfly Effect 540 LLC
- Corey Durrell Steelman, 37, purported owner of Steel Hauling LLC
- Jamal Donnell Steelman, 34, purported owner of Steel Painters LLC
- Jessica Nicole Taylor, 34, purported owner of All In Caregiving LLC
- Thomas Manuel Taylor, 54, purported owner of Showcase Kennels LLC
- Denisha Michelle Walker, 31, purported owner of multiple businesses including businesses in the name of Denisha Walker and Lit & Fit Sculpting LLC
- Jenea Shontae Webb, 39, purported owner of Nae & Friends Childcare
- Stephfon Davido Webb, 36, self-employed and working in the janitorial industry
- Akeem Marquis Williams, 37, purported owner of Williams & Williams Moving Company LLC
A 24th defendant has been indicted but has not been arrested, and that person’s name remains under seal.
PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was put in place when the world’s economy was battling a once-in-a-generation health crisis. This program provided much needed financial relief to keep small businesses open,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh. “However, in the midst of this global crisis, a small number of people saw an opportunity to commit fraud and other criminal conduct.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations is investigating the case.
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Crystal Graham
