Federal Grand Jury Indicts 19 Central Illinois United States Postal Service Workers for Wire Fraud Related to COVID Relief Funds

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal grand jury has returned indictments against 19 United States Postal Service employees and former employees, charging them with fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA).

The PPP provided federally backed funds to small businesses that were directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs, rent, utilities, and mortgage interest. The program was implemented by the SBA and administered by third-party lenders. The PPP was enacted via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, an economic bill that passed in March 2020 in response to the economic fallout caused by the pandemic.

The indicted individuals, all current or former United States Postal Service employees, are:

• Dominique Alexander, 31, of Downers Grove, Illinois, formally of Springfield, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
• Tenneil Baskin, 42, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
• Breanea Brown, 28, of Savoy, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
• Rachaundra Donaldson, 33, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
• Maya Egbejima, 25, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
• Larry Eubanks, 35, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
• Angela Gillespie, 35, of Champaign, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
• Patrice Green, 47, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in August 2023 with four counts of wire fraud.
• Charles Hughes, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, formally of Springfield, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
• Marcus Jones, 39, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
• Sarah Jones, 43, of Danville, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
• Jasmine Morris, 30, of Champaign, Illinois, was charged in February 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
• Shakeena Mosley, 35, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with four counts of wire fraud.
• Ainmere Sangster, 32, of Champaign, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
• Diamond Vinson, 29, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in August 2023 with four counts of wire fraud.
• Uniqua Whitaker, 27, of Urbana, Illinois, was charged in March 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
• Ta Sheena White, 32, of Urbana, Illinois, was charged in March 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
• Rikkia Williams, 33, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
• Shawntelle Lynn, 31, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in October 2022 with two counts of wire fraud.

Each of the individuals have either already been arraigned or have been issued a summons to appear in federal court in Springfield or Urbana for arraignment. If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment, a maximum five-year term of supervised release, and restitution.

Agencies participating in the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; United States Secret Service; United States Postal Inspection Service; the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; the Internal Revenue Service Office of Inspector General; the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General; and the Illinois Department of Revenue. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan Bertrand and Sierra Senor-Moore are representing the government in the prosecutions.

COVID-19 disaster relief and enhanced unemployment benefits are intended to help people and businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. If members of the public suspect anyone fraudulently obtained or misused benefits, they should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NDCF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submit the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19). Hotline staff will obtain information regarding complaints, which will then be reviewed by law enforcement officials. More information is available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.