PHOENIX – A criminal complaint has been filed against four people involved in making fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. Celestine Coletta Strong, age 44, Ty’zhaun Marqui Lewis, age 23, both of Phoenix, as well as Jawuan Polk, age 35, of Portland, Oregon; and Patrick Earl Lewis, age 45, residence unknown; are facing conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering charges.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ) complaint, Strong, Polk, P. Lewis and T. Lewis devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain loans from the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The PPP program is designed to help small businesses meet their payroll obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the complaint, the four conspired to submit loan applications with falsified employee and wage information, fake bank statements, and other false information in an attempt to obtain 15 different loans totaling more than $3.5 million in loan proceeds.
The accused fraudulently obtained approximately $450,000 in proceeds before the scheme was interrupted, according to the DOJ. Some of the proceeds were used to purchase a luxury Mercedes E400, which was also seized.
A conviction for wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of twenty years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both. A conviction for money laundering carries a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.