The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri announced the indictment of Lakeysha Day, a 43-year-old North Carolina resident, on one count of wire fraud. The federal grand jury indictment alleges Day fraudulently obtained a $20,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan under the CARES Act.
At the time of the alleged offense, Day, an employee at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, was reportedly working at the VA Medical Center in Columbia, Missouri. According to the indictment, Day submitted a PPP loan application on March 20, 2021, claiming to operate a sole proprietorship with an average monthly payroll of $8,000. She also reported business earnings of $114,210 and expenses of $14,685, yielding a profit of $99,525.
The PPP loan, a provision of the CARES Act, was designed to assist small businesses in retaining employees and covering essential expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the U.S. Attorney’s Office claims that Day’s 2019 tax return did not align with the financial details provided in her loan application.
If convicted, Day could face asset forfeiture, including a $20,000 money judgment. It is important to note that the indictment is merely an accusation, and Day is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The responsibility to determine her guilt lies with the federal jury based on the evidence presented at trial.