ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CHARGES WOMAN FOR FRAUDULENTLY APPLYING FOR OVER $500,000 IN PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CHARGES WOMAN FOR FRAUDULENTLY APPLYING FOR OVER $500,000 IN PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS

November 13, 2026

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a Lemont, Illinois woman was charged in a 47-count indictment for fraudulently applying for more than $500,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.

Raoul's office charged Yvette Wilson, 53, in Cook County Circuit Court with five counts of theft and two counts of financial institution fraud, Class 1 felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison; six counts of loan fraud and 21 counts of theft, Class 2 felonies punishable by up to seven years in prison; and one count of wire fraud and 12 counts of forgery, Class 3 felonies punishable by up to five years in prison.

"These loans were intended to lift up struggling business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. These hundreds of thousands of dollars were not free cash for individuals to fraudulently line their pockets," Raoul said. "I will continue to work with local, state and federal agencies to ensure we hold individuals accountable for exploiting critical aid programs."

Between March and September 2021, Raoul's office alleges Wilson submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of other applicants. The applications included false information such as false incomes, false employment information and false tax forms. As a result, Wilson caused more than $500,000 in PPP loans to be issued based on false information.

The Attorney General's office is prosecuting this case following an investigation by and referral from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Suburban Financial Crimes Task Force.

The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This is the most recent action Attorney General Raoul has taken to hold individuals accountable for fraudulently collecting government assistance related to the pandemic. Raoul's office has prosecuted dozens of individuals for PPP loan fraud and referred other investigations to the appropriate state's attorneys for further evaluation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Samantha Cain for Raoul's Special Prosecutions Bureau.