Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that his office secured a guilty plea from Ravonn Hankins, a former Illinois State Police employee, who fraudulently obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. Hankins received approximately $14,582 while employed by the state.
Hankins, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of theft, classified as a Class 2 felony. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Mariano R. Reyna sentenced him to two years of second chance probation and 30 hours of community service. Additionally, Hankins has repaid the $14,582 in restitution.
"COVID-era assistance programs were crucial for the survival of thousands of small businesses across Illinois that were upended by the pandemic," Raoul stated. "I will continue to ensure government employees who exploited pandemic assistance programs to line their own pockets are held accountable."
The Attorney General's office accused Hankins of fraudulently applying for and receiving a PPP loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in April 2021 for a non-existent sole proprietor catering business. He also submitted loan forgiveness applications for this loan, which was subsequently forgiven.
This case is part of Attorney General Raoul's ongoing efforts to address fraudulent claims related to pandemic assistance programs. His office has prosecuted numerous individuals for PPP loan fraud and referred other cases to state attorneys for further investigation.
Assistant Attorney General Haley Bookhout handled the prosecution under Raoul’s Public Integrity Bureau.