Wichita Candle Business Owner Indicted for Covid-Era Loan Fraud
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Kansas woman with submitting fictitious information to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to receive pandemic-era financial assistance.
Christina Marie DeLeon, 42, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of wire fraud.
During the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, the SBA provided emergency financial aid for small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In these applications, business owners declared their average monthly payroll expenses and employee count.
The allegations against DeLeon include:
- Falsely stating her company's gross sales and employee count in PPP loan applications in April 2020 and January 2022.
- Receiving $9,300 and $20,832 in PPP loans.
- Submitting false information to obtain loan forgiveness on these loans.
The SBA Office of Inspector General is investigating, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Oakley is prosecuting the case.