SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announces the sentencing of 24 defendants in a case involving a scheme by these defendants to defraud the United States by fraudulently applying for and receiving relief through the Payment Protection Program (“PPP”) provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.  

In March 2020 Congress enacted the CARES Act which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration (SBA) provided Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which were low-interest financing to small businesses, renters and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. The CARES Act also provided authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).

On July 18, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the indictment of 24 defendants who were all members or associates of a Shreveport street gang that refer to themselves as Step or Die or SOD. As of today, all 24 defendants have been sentenced.

This case began when law enforcement agents learned that these individuals were conducting fraudulent activity causing 31 loans to be funded worth more than $600,000 and applied for an additional 41 other loans seeking over $2,200,000. These defendants purported to own businesses providing various services including, freight, trucking, towing, painting, lawn care, t-shirt printing, day care, temporary employment placement, cosmetology, beauty supplies, catering, car washing, and retail clothing, along with pig and cattle farms. In reality, these individuals either did not have such businesses or grossly overstated the amount of revenue earned so that they would qualify for PPP or EIDL loans. 

“We stood before you at a press conference 16 months ago announcing these charges and vowing to hold these 24 individuals accountable for defrauding and attempting to defraud the government out of over $2,000,000,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “All of these defendants, some directly and indirectly, are linked to gang activity, acts of violent crime such as murder, attempted murder, and violations of state and federal firearm law. Although the federal government generally has no jurisdiction over murder and attempted murder charges, such as drive-by shootings, we vow to use any statute that exists in the federal criminal code to eradicate violent crime.  This combination of sentences is a result of varying levels of culpability in this scheme and prior criminal histories, if any, of those convicted.  Investigations such as these meet 2 priorities of the Department: (1) prosecuting those who steal from the government, and (2) holding those accountable responsible for acts of violence in our community.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Treasury-Inspector General for Tax Administration, and United States Marshal’s Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.