A LaPlace resident, Latricia Hope Haynes Moliere, age 50, has been indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for allegedly making false statements to the Small Business Administration and falsification of bankruptcy records. Moliere is accused of inflating her payroll expenses on a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application and concealing her receipt of PPP funds in a subsequent bankruptcy case, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office detail that Moliere reportedly claimed to be a sole proprietor with an average monthly payroll of $8,041 on her Paycheck Protection Program loan application dated March 13, 2021. She is said to have attached a fraudulent Internal Revenue Service Form 1040 Schedule C to support this claim. Furthermore, from May 3, 2021, to at least September 13, 2021, she allegedly continued to deceptively manage her financial affairs, failing to disclose her receipt of Paycheck Protection Program funds during the course of her bankruptcy case.
If convicted on the charge of false statements to the SBA (Count One), the potential consequences Moliere may face include a prison sentence of up to five years, a maximum of three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. For the falsification of bankruptcy records (Count Two), the charges could carry steeper penalties—with a potential prison sentence of up to twenty years in addition to the similar terms of supervised release and fines. Moliere will also be responsible for a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 for each count if convicted, as per the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
While the indictment signals serious allegations, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans emphasized that the indictment "is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt," as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The case has been investigated by the United States Secret Service with assistance from the Financial Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni is to diligently pursue the prosecution.
