Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul has charged two DuPage County women, alleging they fraudulently received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for over $20,000 while employed by the state of Illinois.
Candice Brumfield, 34, of Woodridge, Illinois faces charges including theft by deception exceeding $10,000 and not exceeding $100,000, loan fraud, wire fraud, forgery, and income tax fraud. These charges carry potential sentences ranging from three to seven years in prison. Brumfield’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 31.
Arnita Rudd, 63, of Oak Lawn, Illinois is also charged with theft by deception of less than $100,000, loan fraud, wire fraud, forgery, and income tax fraud. Rudd's next court appearance is set for August 5.
“Paycheck Protection Program Loans were a lifeline for many small businesses that otherwise would not have survived the pandemic. Abuse of these funds is inexcusable,” Raoul stated. “The people of Illinois should be able to trust that public employees are working on behalf of the public.”
Raoul’s office alleges Brumfield was employed by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) when she applied for a PPP loan under her own name. She allegedly received more than $20,000 in April 2021 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for a purported nursing or residential care business and later applied for loan forgiveness. Additionally, Brumfield reportedly received more than $8,000 through a Disaster COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan under another business name.
Rudd allegedly received over $20,000 from the SBA in June 2021 for her business “Arnita C. Rudd doing business as VARS Transportation.” She reportedly claimed an income of over $96,000 in 2019 and applied for loan forgiveness while employed at the Illinois Department of Veteran’s Affairs (IDVA).
Both cases will be co-prosecuted with DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin’s office.
“The money available through the Paycheck Protection Program was intended to help businesses stay afloat,” Berlin said. “What I find particularly upsetting is that the money allegedly taken could have gone to legitimate businesses struggling to survive.”
These charges are part of ongoing efforts by Attorney General Raoul to address fraudulent collection of government assistance related to the pandemic. Other government employees facing similar PPP loan fraud charges include:
- Kiara Brown
- Kimberly Dale
- Lakeitha Day
- Taronn Guyton
- Bernita Jenkins
- Joshua Johnson
- Deborah Jones
- Christina Reese
- Jareli Reyes
- Nina Robinson
- Walter Thomas
- John Williams
The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Deputy Bureau Chief Jonas Harger and Assistant Attorneys General Haley Bookhout, Timothy Nimrod and Mara Somlo are prosecuting these cases for Raoul’s Public Integrity Bureau.