In a recent development, a husband and wife duo from West Chester have admitted to charges of wire fraud in connection with the misappropriation of pandemic relief funds. The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio revealed that Ajay Chawla, 60, together with his wife, Ruhi Chawla, 50, had pleaded guilty to the charge of securing over $900,000 through deceitful means. The couple was intricately involved with several transportation companies, which they leveraged to pull off their scheme.
The Chawlas were at the helm of Prime Transportation and Logistics Inc., ABC Trucking Inc., Apex Truck Lines LLC, and A1 Diesel Truck Repair LLC. In their efforts to obtain four Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) loans and three Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), they misrepresented key details about their business operations, including the number of employees and gross revenues, according to their court documents. Moreover, Ajay Chawla submitted false statements concerning the ownership of Apex Truck Lines to the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Officials have not taken lightly to this misuse of crucial relief funds. “The investigative efforts of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and its partners, along with the prosecutorial work of the U.S. Attorney's Office, demonstrate the commitment to pursuing, capturing, and prosecuting those who try to defraud the American people," stated TIGTA Special Agent-in-Charge Kelly Moening Via the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio. Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region, highlighted their dedication, remarking, “Greed has no place in pandemic relief programs, and together with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we will continue to hold offenders accountable.”
The conviction of the Chawlas could potentially lead to significant prison sentences. Wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years; however, actual sentencing is subject to the Court's discretion, which considers the advisory sentencing guidelines among other statutory factors. A bill of information was charged against the couple in March 2025. With the next steps geared towards sentencing, Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Springer is set to represent the United States in the ongoing case having been investigated by multiple agencies including the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
