Belleville Woman Facing PPP Loan Fraud Charges

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - A Belleville woman is accused of falsely applying for, accepting and spending more than $20,000 in PPP funds for personal expenses.

A federal grand jury charged Felicia D. Harris, 44, with four counts of interstate transportation of a security obtained by fraud. She is employed at the U.S. National Geospatial Agency in St. Louis.

In response to financial hardships created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Small Business Administration utilized the Paycheck Protection Program to offer relief and forgivable loans to struggling businesses. Under PPP, business owners could apply for loans to offset operational costs for payroll, employee benefits, facility expenses and other bills.

"Individuals who are employed by the federal government yet seek to steal from federally funded programs by using false pretenses and enrich themselves with PPP loan funds will be held accountable," said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.

According to court documents, Harris is accused of receiving $20,614 in PPP funds she was not entitled to in February through May 2021. She then used misinformation to apply for loan forgiveness and was approved.

"This outcome demonstrates the DoD Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Office of Inspector General, and our investigative partners' steadfast commitment to ensuring DoD employees abide by the law," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Settle, DCIS Southwest Field Office. "Accountability and integrity are expected of individuals employed by the U.S. Government."

An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

Convictions of interstate transportation of a security obtained by fraud are punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment and fines up to $250,000.

This case represents a crackdown on southern Illinois residents who defrauded the PPP loan program. Last month, three federal employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs were indicted in the Southern District of Illinois on PPP loan fraud charges.

Defense Criminal Investigative Service agents are leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman is prosecuting the case.