A resident of Olive Branch, Mississippi, Lisa Evans, has admitted guilt in a scheme to defraud the U.S. government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The program was designed to assist small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. On February 20, 2025, Evans, 42, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Parker in Memphis, Tennessee. She is scheduled for sentencing on May 22, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in federal prison, as there is no parole in the federal system.
Court documents revealed that Evans submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for multiple individuals who were not eligible for such loans. These applications included false information, such as fabricated federal tax documents. Once the loans were approved and funds were disbursed, the recipients paid Evans kickbacks ranging from 20 to 30 percent. The total financial loss to the PPP program was calculated at $5,126,258.
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Reagan Fondren, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, highlighted the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that such fraudulent acts deprived genuine small businesses and their employees of crucial financial support during the pandemic. Fondren expressed gratitude to various federal law enforcement agencies for their role in uncovering the fraud and ensuring justice. These agencies include the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service Memphis Field Office, and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.
Fondren also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Arvin for prosecuting the case. Those interested in further updates from the U.S. Attorney’s Office can follow them on social media platforms such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) [on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/WDTNNews) and [on X](https://twitter.com/WDTNNews).
Source: Read Original Release