KC woman pleads guilty to COVID-19 fraud, treasury check theft totaling millions
A Kansas City woman has pleaded guilty to wire fraud, money laundering and stealing government funds relating to a counterfeit check scheme and COVID-19 fraud, totaling several million dollars in stolen funds, according to federal justice officials.
Briauna Adams, 28, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering for falsely obtaining Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans which were guaranteed under the COVID relief act, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.
According to court records, Adams rented a townhouse in Raymore with someone else’ identity and opened an individual investment account from the residence last July. Several weeks later, Adams deposited a Treasury check worth over $1.4 million in her name to the Raymore investment account. Investigators found the check to be fraudulent and reversed the deposit.
Three months later, a search warrant was executed on her rental townhome, where 253 stolen Treasury checks totalling $700,000 were found. Adams also allegedly filed fraudulent PPP loan applications for others resulting in a loss of about $540,302, according to the news release.
Adams faces up to 92 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
