Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced today his office obtained a guilty plea in a case against a Chicago woman who fraudulently received two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for approximately $49,000 while employed by the Illinois Department of Human Services.
The Attorney General’s office prosecuted Lola Gilmore, 46, who pleaded guilty to one count of theft by deception, a Class 2 felony. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Ursula Walowski ordered Gilmore on Wednesday to pay over $49,000 in restitution and sentenced her to 30 months of second chance probation.
“Paycheck Protection Loans were a lifeline for many small businesses that otherwise may not have survived the COVID-19 pandemic. It is inexcusable anyone – especially a state government employee charged with working on behalf of the general public – would fraudulently seek to personally benefit from this program,” Raoul said. “I will continue to ensure all current and former government employees who took advantage of the pandemic to steal from critical assistance programs are held accountable.”
Raoul’s office alleges Gilmore fraudulently applied for and received a PPP loan for more than $20,400 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in August 2020 for a sole proprietor catering business that did not exist. According to the Attorney General’s office, Gilmore fraudulently applied for and received a second PPP loan for more than $28,500 in February 2021 for the same non-existent business. Gilmore also completed loan forgiveness applications for both loans, which were forgiven.
This plea is the most recent action 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.
Assistant Attorney General Suzanne Collins prosecuted the case for Raoul’s Criminal Prosecutions and Trials Assistance Bureau.
