A Jacksonville woman, Carnisha Maurica Rogers, 31, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for her involvement in a complex credit scheme and COVID relief fraud, which exploited the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Judge Wendy W. Berger also ordered Rogers to pay restitution of over $108,000 to the victims of her fraud and forfeit roughly $20,832, the proceeds from her COVID relief fraud.
The court documents reveal that from November 2017 to September 2019, Rogers, along with others, illicitly obtained Social Security numbers to open lines of credit at various businesses, consequently buying jewelry and other goods. These items were then sold on social media. In May 2021, Rogers allegedly lied on her PPP loan application, claiming she ran a business and reporting false income and expenses. The loan she received, totaling $20,832, was spent on personal expenses rather than the business costs it was intended for.
Rogers further submitted a fraudulent PPP loan forgiveness application, in which she falsely asserted that she had used the loan for payroll costs, leading the Small Business Administration (SBA) to forgive the loan. The investigation, led by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Secret Service's Jacksonville Field Office, resulted in Rogers pleading guilty in June 2025. Rogers began her fraudulent activities by working with other co-conspirators to exploit financial systems designed to aid legitimate businesses during the pandemic.
In a related case, Crystal Denean Harvell, 37, also of Jacksonville, was sentenced in March 2025 to two years in federal prison for her role in the scheme. Harvell was similarly involved in the line of credit and PPP fraud and was ordered by the court to pay back over $131,000 in restitution. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein led the prosecution, with assistance on asset forfeiture from Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
