The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) says a Trinidadian national residing in Miami has been sentenced to an additional year and nine months in prison for using a stolen identity during her earlier prosecution for her role in the submission of fraudulent loan applications seeking more than US$9.2 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
The DOJ said the loans are guaranteed by the US Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents, Tanika Candy Hospedales, 44, of Trinidad and Tobago, applied for and received a PPP loan in May 2020 on behalf of her company using the name and personal identifying information of another person, Keyaira Bostic, without authorization.
The DOJ said Hospedales “sought a fraudulent PPP loan of US$84,515 on behalf of her company, I Am Liquid Inc., and referred other conspirators to the scheme who sought US$3,345,895 in fraudulent loans for a total intended loss of US$3,430,410.
During an investigation into her involvement in PPP loans, Hospedales falsely identified herself to law enforcement as Keyaira Bostic
According to the DOJ, Hospedales was charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in connection with fraudulent PPP loans. The charging documents identified her as Keyaira Bostic.
On November 21, 2021, during her trial before a jury on the PPP fraud charges, Hospedales falsely testified that her name was Keyaira Bostic. She was convicted by the jury.
“During these proceedings, Hospedales provided false information to the probation office regarding her identity and surrendered a US passport in the name of Keyaira Bostic that she had fraudulently obtained in 2012,” the DOJ said.
On February 3, 2022, it said the court sentenced Hospedales on her trial conviction for PPP fraud to three years and eight months in prison, three years of supervised release, and entered a written judgment against Hospedales in the name of “Keyaira Bostic.”
The DOJ said a subsequent investigation confirmed that Hospedales was not, in fact, Keyaira Bostic.
The statement from the DOJ said law enforcement obtained visa records that demonstrate that in March 2003, Hospedales entered the United States from Trinidad and Tobago on a temporary visa under her true name.
The DOJ said Hospedales pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for using a false identity during her earlier prosecution.
Her term of imprisonment, which will be served consecutively to her earlier sentence for PPP fraud, is followed by three years of supervised release.
MIAMI, May 7, CMC
CMC/nk/kb/2023