Attorney General Kwame Raoul has announced a guilty plea in a case involving fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. Lola Gilmore, a former employee of the Illinois Department of Human Services, admitted to obtaining two PPP loans totaling approximately $49,000 under false pretenses.
Gilmore, aged 46, pleaded guilty to one count of theft by deception, classified as a Class 2 felony. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Ursula Walowski sentenced her to 30 months of second chance probation and ordered her to pay over $49,000 in restitution.
Raoul emphasized the importance of PPP loans during the COVID-19 pandemic: “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.”
The Attorney General's office accused Gilmore of applying for and receiving a PPP loan exceeding $20,400 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in August 2020 for a fictitious catering business. She later obtained another loan exceeding $28,500 in February 2021 for the same non-existent business. Both loans were forgiven after she submitted loan forgiveness applications.
This case is part of ongoing efforts by Raoul’s office to address fraudulent claims related to pandemic assistance programs. The office has prosecuted numerous individuals for similar offenses and referred additional cases for further investigation.
Assistant Attorney General Suzanne Collins handled the prosecution under Raoul’s Criminal Prosecutions and Trials Assistance Bureau.