New Orleans Woman Charged With Cares Act Fraud

NEW ORLEANS - Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that CHELSEY POWELL ("POWELL"), age 34, of Laplace, LA, was charged on December 5, 2025 by bill of information with making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

According to the charging documents, POWELL made false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to fraudulently obtaining a pandemic-related relief Paycheck Protection Program loan funded by the federal government, in the amount of approximately $19,950.00.

POWELL faces up to five years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release for making false statements to the SBA. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee due after conviction. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

For more information on the Department of Justice's response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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