Office of the
Illinois Attorney General
Kwame Raoul
Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged a Cook County man alleging he fraudulently received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for more than $20,000 while employed by the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC).
The Attorney General’s office charged Kevin Wright, 42, of Chicago, with one count of loan fraud of more than $10,000, a Class 2 felony punishable by up to seven years in prison; two counts of forgery, Class 3 felonies punishable by up to five years in prison; and one count of income tax fraud, a Class 4 felony punishable by up to three years in prison. Sentences are ultimately determined by the court. Wright’s next court date is Sept. 9.
“It is disappointing anyone employed by the state of Illinois would take advantage of the federal COVID-era assistance programs intended to help small businesses and unemployed Americans survive the pandemic,” Raoul said. “I will continue to hold public workers accountable for abusing these critical programs to line their own pockets.”
Attorney General Raoul’s office alleges Wright was employed by the IDOC when he fraudulently applied for a PPP loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration by falsely claiming he owned a business that did not exist. According to Raoul’s office, Wright received $20,595 in April 2021 as a result.
The Attorney General’s office is prosecuting this case based on a referral following an investigation by the Office of Executive Inspector General (OEIG) and Illinois State Police-Division of Internal Investigation.
The charges are the most recent actions Attorney General Raoul has taken to hold individuals accountable for fraudulently collecting government assistance related to the pandemic. Raoul’s office has prosecuted dozens of individuals for PPP loan fraud and referred other investigations to the appropriate state’s attorneys for further evaluation.
The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Assistant Attorney General Tori Whitman is prosecuting the cases for Raoul’s Criminal Prosecutions and Trial Assistance Bureau.
