MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Two women have been indicted for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief funding on behalf of a Jefferson County resident, according to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld.
Kimberly VanKline, 56, of Hyattsville, Maryland, and Rhonda Brown-Moore, 64, of Brooklyn, New York, were indicted Tuesday for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to the improper receipt of funds from the COVID Relief Act.
According to the indictment, from February through August of 2021, the two worked in concert to create and submit falsified documents to obtain CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. In April of that year, a Ranson resident provided personal information and a social security number and signed the documents that VanKline prepared using a false Schedule C created by Brown-Moore.
Van Kline reported that the Ranson resident’s gross profit was $128, 365. supported by a false Schedule C created by Brown-Moore.
Vankline instructed the Ranson resident to signed the application and a promissory note.
During the first draw, VanKline sought a loan of $20,833. During a subsequent draw, she requested a loan of $29,166. on behalf of the Ranson resident.
“As a result of the scheme, the United States suffered a loss of at least $49,999.”
According to the US Attorney’s office, ” VanKline submitted PPP applications in the name of businesses owned by other individuals and made false representations about the businesses’
income to obtain the loans. Those false representations were designed to fraudulently obtain proceeds ultimately from the SBA.”
The two women “were compensated for their illegal actions” at the time. “VanKline would misrepresent and conceal material facts regarding the businesses for which she submitted PPP loan application,
including the type of business for which she was submitting the applications,” according to the US Attorney’s office.
VanKline and Brown-Moore face up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the three felony counts. If they are convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Our team continues to investigate COVID fraud and there will more criminal charges, as well as civil enforcement actions, in the months ahead,” said United States Attorney Ihlenfeld. “We will seek prison sentences for those who stole from the taxpayers, as well as repayment of the money stolen, plus penalties and interest.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government and the matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to combatting pandemic fraud. Anyone aware of COVID fraud is encouraged to report it via email to [email protected], by telephone to 304-234-0100, or via regular mail to the U.S. Attorney, P.O. Box 591, Wheeling, WV 26003, Attn: COVID Fraud Unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
I
