Alabama woman admits to defrauding government of more than $1 million in pandemic funds

Published 9:39 pm Tuesday, December 21, 2021

An Alabama woman pleaded guilty to charges of helping prepare dozens of fraudulent applications for federal pandemic relief funds involving more than $1 million, news outlets reported.

Corine Campbell of Saraland, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was accused of helping with more than 50 bogus applications for money through the government’s Paycheck Protection Program.

The case began when a man who claimed to have a landscaping service sought and received almost $21,000 in assistance money even though he was in prison during the time covered by the application, documents showed. Another man who claimed to have a janitorial service received money based on an application.

According to Campbell’s plea agreement, she forged credit union statements showing the two men had the exact say account balances. She also pleaded guilty to a firearms charge filed after investigators searched her apartment and found a weapon she wasn’t allowed to have because of a previous theft conviction.

A judge scheduled sentencing for Campbell for April 25.