An Ocala woman who obtained a fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan will spend two years behind bars.
On Thursday, Senior United States Judge Gregory A. Presnell sentenced 31-year-old Passion Lajodia Jackson to two years in federal prison for wire fraud related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. She had pleaded guilty on September 11, 2023.
As part of the judgement, Jackson was ordered to forfeit $20,132, which represents the proceeds obtained from the offense.
According to court records, on April 2, 2021, Jackson electronically submitted a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application to the Small Business Administration. Her application included false statements, and she also provided a fictitious Internal Revenue Service document in support of her application.
On April 6, 2021, Jackson fraudulently received a PPP loan of $20,132 based on the false information that she provided on the application. The loan was electronically wired to her bank account, and she withdrew the funds in cash within 30 days.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and it was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with agencies across government, to help combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or by submitting a complaint form on NCDF’s website.