Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA McCordsville woman who is expected to plead guilty to two counts of wire fraud could face 20 years in federal prison for defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program out of more than $600,000.
Federal prosecutors charged Sandra Pierce, 42, with two counts of wire fraud earlier this year in part for submitting 22 fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan applications, according to a press release Thursday from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Some of those applications were related to the Paycheck Protection Program, the United States Small Business Association’s COVID-relief program intended to help businesses pay their employees during the pandemic.
Pierce was the sole owner of Sandy’s on the Run and aimed to help individuals and business obtain COVID-relief money, the release said.
Prosecutors say she filled out applications under clients’ names in exchange for more than $100,000. Pierce also filed loan applications in her own name and received $48,191 from the government.
The fraud totaled about $632,905, according to Tom Wheeler, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. A spokesperson said Pierce was charged in January. She recently petitioned to plead guilty.
An attorney listed in court documents as representing Pierce was not immediately available for comment Thursday afternoon.
Pierce’s case is being prosecuted by the U. S. Postal Services Office of Inspector General.
Last week, federal prosecutors said a Lafayette man planned to plead guilty to two counts of wire fraud for a separate COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.