Former Amtrak employee pleads guilty to CARES Act fraud

November 30, 2023

 

NEW ORLEANS — A Houston woman and former Amtrak employee pleaded guilty October 18, 2023, to a one-count bill of information for making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

 

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana, Bria Peters, 38, made false statements to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program loan. Peters claimed she owned a clothing business impacted by the pandemic when, in truth, she had no such business. Peters later received a PPP loan of more than $29,000.

 

Sentencing is scheduled for January 17, 2024. Peters potentially faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release for the false statements count. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee due after sentencing.

 

The Amtrak Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

 

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

 

Reports of fraud, waste, or abuse, including suspected pandemic relief fraud; criminal or unethical acts affecting Amtrak’s property or operations; or mismanagement in Amtrak programs or operations can be made 24 hours a day via the Amtrak OIG Hotline at 1-800-468-5469 or online at https://direc.to/hPAu.
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