Ryan K. Buchanan, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia
Jerry Baptiste, the last of 20 defendants involved in a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been sentenced. Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. commented on the case stating, "This defendant and his co-conspirators used an unprecedented global crisis to defraud the government and the American people." He emphasized that such actions will not go unpunished.
Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, remarked on the completion of this investigation: "This sentencing wraps up an exhaustive investigation into a fraud scheme that stole emergency funds from businesses and individuals that desperately needed them during the Covid-19 pandemic." Demetrius Hardeman from IRS Criminal Investigation also noted that investigations into PPP fraud are ongoing.
From April 2020 through May 2020, Jerry Baptiste conspired with several others to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications for Transportation Management Services Inc., falsely claiming it had 66 employees and would use funds for legitimate business expenses. This resulted in obtaining $830,417 fraudulently.
Baptiste was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. P. Boulee to six and a half years in prison with three years of supervised release and restitution payment of $830,417 after pleading guilty to money laundering.
The other defendants received varied sentences ranging from probation to imprisonment for up to 15 years for their roles in similar fraudulent activities:
- Darrell Thomas was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment.
- Andre Lee Gaines received five years’ probation.
- Kahlil Gibran Green was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment.
- Bern Benoit received a sentence of 27 months’ imprisonment.
- Carla Jackson was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment.
- Ricky Dixon received a sentence of 100 months’ imprisonment.
- Meghan Thomas was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.
- Jesika Blakely received a sentence of 36 months’ imprisonment.
Additional defendants were similarly charged and sentenced based on their involvement.
The case was investigated by both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samir Kaushal and Nathan Kitchens along with former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tal Chaiken and Norman Barnett, alongside Trial Attorney Siji Moore from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
For further information or tips regarding COVID-related frauds, individuals are encouraged to contact relevant authorities through provided channels.
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