A woman who once lived in Cincinnati has been sentenced to 24 months in prison for fraud related to pandemic relief funds. Lashawnda Alexander, aged 40 and currently residing in Katy, Texas, was found guilty of three counts of wire fraud following a jury trial in August 2024.
Court documents and testimony revealed that Alexander submitted several fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan applications starting in June 2020. On June 23, she applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) under the business name "Lashawnda Alexander," claiming the business had ten employees and $125,000 in gross revenue for the year prior to January 31, 2020. Shortly after, another application was submitted using the same device under a family member's name with similar claims of employment and revenue.
The following day, Alexander applied for another EIDL for "TressD LLC," a hair and nail salon she claimed employed fifteen people and earned $175,000 in gross revenue during the previous year. In total, Alexander attempted to secure at least $137,500 and successfully obtained $91,000 from EIDL funds, including $20,000 as grants. She signed an EIDL loan authorization on June 25 for TressD LLC certifying her application details were accurate despite discrepancies with her 2019 tax return.
Alexander used some of these funds to purchase a Mercedes Benz SUV and relocated to Texas while continuing to receive unemployment assistance from Ohio's Department of Job & Family Services. Her indictment came from a federal grand jury in July 2022.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, together with Yvonne Dicristoforo from the United States Secret Service announced the sentencing by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland on January 28. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo and Anthony Springer and investigated by the Financial Crimes Working Group Pandemic Fraud Committee.