Laplace Resident Charged with Preparing and Submitting Fraudulent Applications for Cares Act Financial Assistance

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MUNIRA SCHOFIELD, age 28, a resident of LaPlace, Louisiana, was charged last week for her role in preparing and filing false applications for loans related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). SCHOFIELD was charged in a one-count bill of information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1343. SCHOFIELD’s co-conspirators, Lynn Schofield and Bashir Schofield, were charged previously. 

According to the charging document, MUNIRA SCHOFIELD, Lynn Schofield, and Bashir Schofield worked together to submit applications to obtain money from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) loans fraudulently. The applications they submitted contained numerous materially false statements, including that the applicant had a sole proprietorship and generated substantial income from the business by overinflating gross receipts. They also represented that the loan proceeds would be used for business released purposes, and the defendants intended to use the money for personal reasons. In fact, the entities either did not exist or earned far less money than MUNIRA SCHOFIELD, Lynn Schofield, and Bashir Schofield represented.