Search

Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland woman received a prison term for her role in an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud conspiracy. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Kiara Smith, 28, of Prince George’s County, to 42 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, in connection with the scheme.

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that on May 11, 2026, United States District Judge Jill A. Otake sentenced Kaiaulani C. Kaiawe, 47, of Kapaa, Hawaii to 40 months in prison for defrauding the Kauai Coronavirus Rental and Utility Assistance (CRUA) program.

Lakeia Simone Grant, aka Lakeia Shepperd, 40, of Newport News, was sentenced to over seven years in prison for COVID era unemployment insurance fraud scheme.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On April 9, 2026, JELISSA LACOUR (“LACOUR”), age 37, a resident of Jefferson Parish, was sentenced by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier for two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

The indictment accuses the conspirators of submitting at least 40 fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans that yielded at least $8.3 million.

The program awarded funds for the opening of new childcare facilities or the expansion of existing facilities.

Darnell Jones, also known as “EJ,” was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry in federal court in Brooklyn to 145 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. During the height of the COVID‑19 pandemic, from March 2020 through August 2021, Jones used stolen personal identifying information to fraudulently obtain more than $800,000 from federally funded unemployment insurance programs established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

BOSTON – A Dominican national lawfully residing in Worcester has been indicted for using other peoples’ identities – including a deceased individual – to fraudulently obtain $137,100 in emergency rental assistance funds intended to provide housing assistance for individuals unable to pay rent due to financial hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic.