Kansas City woman sentenced to 87 months for COVID-19 fraud and identity theft

Date: Feb. 25, 2026

Contact: [email protected]

Kansas City, MO - A Kansas City, MO, woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a wire fraud and aggravated identity theft case that resulted in more than $40,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Rasheeda McDaniel was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 87 months' imprisonment based upon her guilty pleas to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft relating to a scheme to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans, guaranteed by the SBA under the CARES Act.

According to court documents, prior to March 22, 2021, McDaniel and co-defendant Briauna Adams used the personal identification information of S.R. to submit an online application for a COVID-19 relief PPP loan in S.R.'s name.

The loan application listed a fictitious business with Schedule C gross receipts of $147,412 and a net income of $98,562. S.R.'s true tax return listed zero taxable income and did not have a Schedule C. The loan application provided a bank account associated with the fictitious business.

On April 2, 2021, the loan was approved and S.R.'s bank account received a $20,832 wire deposit. On the same day, $2,000 was transferred to an account controlled by Adams. An amount totaling $18,830 was transferred to defendant McDaniel's account.

Prior to February 27, 2021, McDaniel provided personal identification information to Briauna Adams and Adams submitted an online application in McDaniel's name for a COVID-19 relief PPP loan. The application and supporting documents stated that McDaniel was the sole proprietor of a business established July 7, 2017, that had an Average Monthly Payroll of $8,333. As part of the application, a 2019 Form Schedule C was submitted listing Gross receipts of $144,080 and profit of $99,982. McDaniel did not have a business during that time period with gross income and net income in the listed amounts. On March 4, 2021, the defendant's personal account received a $20,832 wire deposit. The same day, McDaniel made a $15,000 cash withdrawal from the account.

On September 30, 2025, Adams was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.