12 Kansas City area residents indicted in nearly $250K PPP fake loan scheme, feds say
A dozen Kansas City area residents were indicted on allegations that they conspired in a Paycheck Protection Program scheme that caused nearly $250,000 in fraudulent loans.
The 13-count indictment unsealed Tuesday alleges Renetta Golden-Larimore, 54, of Kansas City, filed the fraudulent loan applications on behalf of her co-conspirators. She allegedly charged them fees of $2,000 to $7,000 for her help.
Golden-Larimore created fake IRS forms for “nonexistent businesses and with inflated income for existing businesses” to qualify for a loan under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, according to the indictment.
Each person then got a PPP loan of about $20,800, federal prosecutors say.
Among those charged with Golden-Larimore were Kansas City residents Don Baker, 47; Stephan Booth, 40; Candace Hill-Williams, 25; Reisjon Larimore, 25; Teiara Mercer, 23; Padgit Smith, 48; Joseph Valdivia III, 45; Salvadore Valdivia, 41; and Mone’y Woods, 21. Also charged was Cameron Henderson, 27, of Independence, and Roger Larimore, 27, of Raytown.
Golden-Larimore was additionally charged with 12 counts of wire fraud.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri said a separate case came to light during the investigation. In that case Theresa Griswold, 42, of Olathe, pleaded guilty to wire fraud after getting a fake $20,832 PPP loan.
The case was investigated by Kansas City police and IRS Criminal Investigation.
This story was originally published May 10, 2023 at 3:42 PM.
