Former Louisiana Resident Indicted for Preparing Over 110 Fraudulent PPP Loan Applications Totaling Over $1.1 Million Dollars

New Orleans, Louisiana – On September 9, 2022, United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the indictment of Sharnae Every (“Every”), age 27, of Houston, Texas, who was charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and two counts of Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341.

The case against Every began after the COVID-19 Pandemic Response Accountability Committee ("PRAC") referred a possible fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan ("PPP") to the FBI. Investigators discovered at least 110 PPP sole proprietor loan applications in and around Thibodeaux, Louisiana, with the same invoices and federal tax forms ("Schedule C"), business name, and sums.

According to the indictment, Every established a fictional company called "Natural Hair Afro, LLC, Houma, LA 70360" and used this fictitious company name on nearly all of the fraudulent PPP loan applications. Every advertised on Facebook using numerous aliases in order to recruit others to participate in the PPP scheme. Every single one of them produced and filed bogus and fraudulent PPP sole proprietor loan applications through numerous online portals, including but not limited to Blueacorn. Every one of the phony and fraudulent invoices, bank statements, and Schedule Cs was fabricated by them. When she electronically filed the fake PPP loan applications, she falsely declared that the applications and information given in the accompanying documents were authentic and accurate.

The individuals Every recruited to prepare and submit the false PPP application was charged between $45.00 and $120.00. To get the initial payments, Every primarily used Cash App. Once the loans were funded, Every charged about $3,500.00. These funds were deposited into her Current account, her Cash App account, or her boyfriend's Current account.

If convicted, Every risks a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, or twice the gross gain to the defendant, or twice the gross loss to any victim, and a $100.00 obligatory special assessment charge, per count.

U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force on May 17, 2021, to marshal the Department of Justice's resources in collaboration with agencies across government to strengthen efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other things, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. Please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus for more information on the Department's response to the pandemic.

The Veterans Administration's Office of Inspector General participates in the PRAC Fraud Task Force.

Follow this link for more information on the Department of Justice's response to the pandemic. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can contact the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or submit a complaint using the NCDF Web Complaint Form by following this link.

The US Attorney's Office would also like to thank the Veterans Administration's Office of the Inspector General; the US Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General; the US Department of Homeland Security's Homeland Security Investigations; and the US Secret Service's Cyber Fraud Task Force, which included the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office, and the Thibodeaux Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Edward Rivera, COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator, are prosecuting this case.