Ga. woman gets $2M in fraudulent COVID-19 relief loans, spends some on plastic surgery, DOJ says – WSB-TV Channel 2

DACULA, Ga. — A Gwinnett County woman was indicted Thursday after the Department of Justice said she netted more than $2 million in COVID-19 relief loans — a chunk of which she spent on plastic surgery.

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The DOJ said Ashlee Parker, 39, of Dacula, lead a scheme to submit dozens of fraudulent applications for COVID-19 small business relief funding.

The indictment alleges that from May 2020 to around April 2021, Parker submitted more than two dozen applications for relief in her name on behalf of The Harris Parker Group, LLC and other companies.

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Her co-conspirators also allegedly paid Parker for submitting fraudulent applications on their behalf through her tax business, Proficient Tax LLC in exchange for for both Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Paycheck Protection Program loans.

Prosecutors said Parker defrauded the United States out of more than $2 million dollars. She used nearly $14,000 of that money to get several cosmetic procedures including a breast augmentation and liposuction.

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Parker has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, false document, money laundering and conspiracy and false statements.

She faces up to 30 years in federal prison followed by up to five years of supervised release along with restitution to the U.S. government.

“The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was funded to help small businesses struggling from the effects of a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “In far too many cases, however, it has been exploited by those seeking to milk these relief programs for their personal profit.”

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