An Ocala woman has been arrested and charged with fraudulently obtaining over $40,000 in COVID-19 relief loans.
On Tuesday, August 27, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that 52-year-old Lisa Yvette Starkes was arrested on an indictment charging her with two counts of wire fraud related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
The indictment was returned earlier this month.
According to court records, between August 4, 2020, and April 12, 2021, Starkes allegedly devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting falsified Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications.
In order to secure the loans, Starkes allegedly provided “false representations” in her PPP applications. The loan proceeds, which totaled $41,452, were later electronically transferred into her bank account.
According to state corporate records, Starkes registered First Choice Home Care, LLC as a company in July 2020. She is listed as the owner of the company.
If convicted, Starkes faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count, along with a forfeiture order for $41,452, which represents the unlawful proceeds of the offense.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.