Former Robeson deputy, family guilty of stealing 542K in COVID loans

A former Robeson County sheriff’s deputy and his family have pleaded guilty to stealing more than $542,000 in fraudulent COVID loans. They will be forced to repay the money along with a $1 million fine and face maximum 30-year prison sentences, according to a news release Thursday from the US attorney’s office.

Former deputy Ricky McMillian, wife Erica McMillian, and adult sons Dwayne and Derian McMillian each entered guilty pleas on the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to the release. They will be sentenced later this year.

The McMillians “engaged in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and by submitting false loan applications,” the US attorney’s office reported. The scheme led to the disbursement of $542,288 in fraudulent loan proceeds.

“Although the COVID loans may have stopped, our government continues to dole out billions in other forms of loans, subsidies, and programs,” US Attorney Ellis Boyle said in the release. “This office will continue to hold accountable anyone who defrauds any of our taxpayer funded programs. This entire family of COVID fraudsters learned this lesson the hard way. CHEATERS. NEVER. WIN.”

The McMillians submitted five EIDL and PPP loan applications for four different businesses located in Robeson County, Boyle’s office reported. The family and a co-conspirator presented false information about the number of employees and gross revenues for the businesses. They also submitted false and fraudulent tax forms and bank statements.

The federal government approved each loan application and disbursed funds into “personal accounts controlled by the McMillians,” according to the news release.

“Former Robeson deputy, family guilty of stealing 542K in COVID loans” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.