And she even got a free trip to court, too…
A Georgia woman is accused of making up a fake business just to get government COVID-19 relief funds which she used to buy a Dodge Charger, among other things. It’s similar to other stories we’ve covered in the past, demonstrating that when the government is handing out money, there are those who will do just about anything to get as much as possible.
A Dodge Charger driver in a street race killed an innocent driver. Learn more here.
According to federal prosecutors, Tracy Kirkland invented Kirklands Hair N Beauty, a salon she supposedly owned, employing 3 people. Using that information, she applied for a loan through the federal program set up to help business which have been struggling thanks to the government-imposed shutdowns.
Since her fraud wasn’t initially caught, Kirkland received a $66,400 deposit in her bank account in August 2020. With that money burning a hole in her pocket, the woman bought a 2019 Dodge Charger, although the exact model wasn’t listed.
Kirkland purchased other items and made large cash withdrawals from her account. None of those expenses were related in any way to running a salon. That just created a nice paper trail for prosecutors once her fraud was uncovered.
Rather than face an expensive, draining legal battle, Kirkland plead guilty to wire fraud in court. Not surprisingly, this isn’t Kirkland’s first trip around the block. Prosecutors say she’s a convicted felon. Through a plea deal, the Georgia woman is forfeiting her Dodge Charger to the government, the one we all paid for with tax dollars. She also has to return $16,250 in cash and repay the $66,400 she obtained fraudulently. Usually, the fraud charges would come with a maximum 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, so she got off easy. Hopefully Kirkland has learned this time around crime ultimately doesn’t pay.
Source: The Telegraph
