Roderick Bashon Billingslea, Jr., a Georgia trucker, has been sentenced to a 30-month prison term followed by three years of supervised release for his involvement in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud and operating outlawed trucking businesses. U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan declared that "Billingslea falsified documents to receive PPP funds to operate illegal and unsafe businesses," as reported on the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia website. In addition to the prison sentence, he has been ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $591,668.89 and the annual cost of his incarceration.
Despite being barred from trucking operations due to safety violations in January 2020 by the Department of Transportation (DOT), Billingslea proceeded to set up new trucking entities with falsified owner data and addresses. He carried out this scheme by stealing corporate identities of legitimate businesses and hiring drivers who were unaware their employer was in defiance of federal regulation. Upon the drivers incurring DOT violations, Billingslea would then move on to yet another illegitimate entity. This criminal activity was funded by a PPP loan of over half a million dollars, which Billingslea obtained through deceptive claims about the size and legality of his business operations.
Special Agent in Charge Frederick D. Houston from the U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office stressed the importance of these proceedings: "This case signifies our commitment to protect citizens and businesses from fraud and identity theft." In addition, officials encourage the public to report suspected PPP loan fraud to the DOT OIG Hotline. The SBA OIG's Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge, Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite, underscored the "critical role of oversight in safeguarding taxpayer dollars" and vowed continued efforts to pursue those misusing such crucial aid.
The case comes in the wake of a broader initiative; on May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force. It aims to marshal resources across the government to combat pandemic-related fraud, with a focus on the most culpable domestic and international criminals. Fraud involving COVID-19 can be reported to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or via their Web Complaint Form. For more information, you may contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office provided on the aforementioned Justice Department's website.
