Feds arrest 23 Texans in alleged Paycheck Protection Program-related fraud scheme
SHERMAN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — Nearly two dozen Texans were slapped with federal charges related to an alleged fraud scheme that involved funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), officials announced Friday.
Brit Featherston, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, announced that the 23 individuals had been named in a federal indictment returned by a grand jury on Jan. 17, 2023. They all face money laundering conspiracy charges and appeared before a federal judge this week.
The accused fraudsters were named as:
- Kendrick Lavell Collins, 42, of Aubrey;
- Letisha Ann Stover, 41, of Richardson;
- Spencer Leonard Leigh, 35, of Everman;
- Danuielle Fowler Edney, 51, of Plano;
- Diamond Plashette Edwards, 24, of Grand Prairie;
- Tabitha Lashawn Deberry, 34, of Dallas;
- Amos Wilson, 56, of Dallas;
- Andrew Demarcus Penny, 45, of Dallas;
- Demetrics Devon Black, 31, of Dallas;
- Jarrick Otishey Buckhanan, 43, of Dallas;
- Jerica Jareese Matthews, 31, of Anna;
- John Gantt, 35, of Dallas;
- Lemar Mashawn Cohen, a/k/a Lemar Marshawn Cohen, 36, of Dallas;
- Chibuike Samuel Iwuh, 30, of The Colony;
- Cynthia Mechelle Wilson, 55, of Dallas;
- Dontrell Lamon Amie, 42, of North Richland Hills;
- Eric Jason Vaughan, 49, of Arlington;
- Jeremiah Lee Gantt, 28, of Dallas;
- Joshua Matthew Baham, 27, of Anna;
- Lesley Odell Brown, 32, of Carrollton;
- Michael Andre Studaway, 26, of Dallas;
- Tamara Dawn Thomas, 41, of Dallas; and
- Timothy Dwayne Hoston, 44, of Carrollton.
Prosecutors claim that the 23 people charged were involved in a conspiracy to launder money fraudulently obtained from the PPP. The accused conspirators allegedly opened bank accounts under assumed business names to transfer, withdraw, and move the money for their own gain.
According to the indictment, the defendants illegally obtained $3.5 million through several different types of fraud. These included business email compromises, romance scams, unemployment insurance fraud, and PPP fraud.
If convicted, each alleged conspirator faces up to 20 years in prison.