Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced today his office obtained a guilty plea in a case against a south suburban woman who fraudulently received two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling approximately $41,600 while employed by the Illinois Department of Human Services.
The Attorney General’s office prosecuted Lakeitha Day, 48, of Homewood, Illinois, who pleaded guilty to one count of theft, a Class 2 felony. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Diana L. Kenworthy ordered Day on Monday to pay over $46,800 in restitution and sentenced her to two years of second chance probation.
"It is inexcusable anyone – especially a public employee – would fraudulently seek to line their own pockets using Paycheck Protection Loans that were a lifeline for many small businesses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” 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 alleged Day fraudulently applied for and received a PPP loan for more than $20,833 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in April 2021 for a sole proprietor business that did not exist. According to the Attorney General’s office, Day fraudulently applied for and received a second PPP loan for $20,833 also in April 2021 for the same non-existent business. Day 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 Renee Thibault prosecuted the case for Raoul’s Special Prosecutions Bureau.
