Olive Branch woman guilty in scheme to defraud COVID-19 relief program

Credit: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Tennessee

Feb 26, 2025- An Olive Branch woman has pleaded guilty to defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal program intended to help small businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic, of over $5 million. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today.

On Feb. 20, Lisa Evans, age 42, of Olive Branch, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  She will be sentenced on May 22 and faces a maximum term of 20 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to information presented in court, Evans submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for numerous individuals who were not entitled to PPP loans. The applications Evans submitted contained false representations, including fake federal tax documents.  When the individual borrowers obtained the PPP loan funds, they then paid Evans kickbacks of 20 to 30 percent.  The loss to the PPP program was $5,126,258.  

“Individuals cheating the Paycheck Protection Program stole money from U.S. taxpayers who desperately needed these loans to keep their small businesses afloat and pay their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Arvin prosecuted this case.