Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a significant legal outcome involving fraudulent COVID-19 relief claims. A Chicago resident, Tina Tzoumas, pleaded guilty to one count of identity theft, which is classified as a Class 1 felony. The legal process concluded with Tzoumas admitting to the fraudulent filing of multiple COVID-19 pandemic unemployment assistance claims and a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application for a non-existent business.
As part of her sentence, Tzoumas has paid $108,145 in restitution. This includes $90,645 to the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) and $17,500 to the U.S. Small Business Administration, as overseen by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Adrienne E. Davis. Tzoumas also received a sentence of four years of felony probation.
Attorney General Raoul commented on the case, stating, “During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when many people were counting on the government’s relief programs to provide for themselves and their families, some individuals were abusing those same programs for their own financial gain. I am committed to holding accountable those who used the pandemic to steal from the people of Illinois.”
Between June 2020 and June 2021, Tzoumas submitted unauthorized claims, using stolen personal information from others to access IDES funds. Additionally, Tzoumas was found to have used her own details to fraudulently apply for a PPP loan, securing funds for a nonexistent enterprise.
Attorney General Raoul's office continues to address issues related to fraudulent collection of government pandemic assistance. The office has prosecuted similar cases and forwarded others to relevant state authorities for further action.
Assistant Attorney General Samantha Cain led the prosecution for Raoul’s Special Prosecutions Bureau.