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NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that, on April 6, 2022, TIANNA HART, age 32, of LaPlace pled guilty to making a false statement to the United States Small Business Administration, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2).  In pleading guilty to Count 1 of the bill of information, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years, up to three years of supervised release, a restitution order, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

As part of the plea, HART admitted to submitting false information in order to obtain a $20,832.00 Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan from the United States Small Business Administration.  HART falsely attested that she was the owner/sole proprietor of a nail salon that was started on January 1, 2018.  In truth, the business was owned by a third party and was not formed until on or about March 26, 2021.

Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for July 13, 2022, before United States District Judge Lance M. Africk.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service and the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Andre J. Lagarde is in charge of the prosecution.

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.

For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.