United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Michael Ansezell Tolliver, 57, of Monroe, Louisiana, appeared before United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty yesterday and pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering.
In March 2020 Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration (SBA) provided Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which were low-interest financing to small businesses, renters and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. The CARES Act also provided authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).
According to evidence presented in court, Tolliver devised a scheme to…
