Memphis female spent PPP loans on sports activities auto, gambling

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis woman is accused of illegally acquiring 1000’s of bucks in federal PPP loans, and paying out the dollars on personal journey, concerts, gambling and a new Maserati.

Kenyatta Danielle Hooper, 34, was charged by a federal grand jury in May well with 6 counts of wire fraud. She was arrested past 7 days, in accordance to U.S. Legal professional Joseph C. Murphy of the Western District of Tennessee.

Murphy’s business mentioned Hooper allegedly submitted pretend paperwork and fraudulent purposes for the Payment Defense Strategy loans and directed some others to do the identical. Those loans ended up supposed to be applied for business payroll, hire or utilities as element of the government’s exertion to assist smaller companies in the wake of COVID-19.

But authorities mentioned Hooper expended the dollars on herself, such as the acquire of the sporting activities auto. She also allegedly took kickbacks for assisting other individuals to file fraudulent loan apps.

The fraudulent scheme drew sharp opinions from the U.S. Lawyer for the Western District of Tennessee, saying in portion, “Bad actors, unfortunately, have specific this significant aid software and fraudulently diverted a lot-wanted resources.”

Prosecutors did not expose many information about the plan, but Kenyatta Hooper in Memphis is outlined in an on the web database as getting been given a PPP personal loan worthy of $38,070 in March 2021. The organization outlined on her application was categorised as a pastime, toy or activity keep with 4 staff members.

Information show Hooper is also listed as sole proprietor for Clever Income Solutions on East Shelby Drive. The now-vacant organization also been given a PPP financial loan in the sum of $20,833 in April 2021.

An worker at a single of the other companies in the strip shopping mall, who didn’t want to be discovered, stated she had only seen Hooper a couple of instances at Sensible Revenue Methods and never ever saw any consumers within.

We tried out to reach Hooper at a selection specified for the enterprise but obtained a recording.

The Memphis Discipline Workplace of the United States Top secret Provider assisted the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Hooper’s arrest.

Hooper faces up to 20 decades in federal prison on every wire fraud rely.

In April, a former Memphis Police clerk was arrested and billed with illegally acquiring PPP financial loans for the buy of a household.