Tiesha Johnson, a former analyst for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, was sentenced in Oakland County's 6th Circuit Court to an eleven-month delayed sentence. This sentencing follows her no-contest plea to three counts of False Pretenses involving fraudulent acquisition of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the decision.
Under the terms set by Judge Michael Warren, Johnson must pay $34,675 in restitution and will be monitored over the next eleven months. She is required to return to court on September 10, 2025, for a review of her compliance with these conditions.
Attorney General Nessel emphasized the importance of these loan programs during the pandemic: “The financial relief provided to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic was a lifeline for countless Michigan residents." She expressed gratitude towards the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General for their role in bringing this case forward.
The investigation began when the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General referred potential federal loan fraud concerns to Nessel's office in July 2022. Johnson did not contest that she had fraudulently secured two PPP loans and one EIDL advance while employed as a federal worker. These funds were intended to support payroll expenses amid COVID-19 restrictions.
Johnson was apprehended in Dallas, Texas under warrants issued by Michigan's Department of Attorney General and later transported back to Michigan where she faced arraignment in December 2023.