JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville woman has pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and conspiracy in connection with a credit scheme and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Crystal Denean Harvell, 37, of Jacksonville, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in connection and faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count, along with paying restitution to the victims she defrauded and to the U.S. government. She has also agreed to forfeit $20,415, which was traced to proceeds from the PPP loan fraud. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
According to court documents, between February 2016 and September 2019, Harvell and her co-conspirators fraudulently obtained Social Security numbers to open lines of credit at various businesses. They used the credit to purchase jewelry and other merchandise, some of which Harvell resold on social media.
In April 2021, Harvell submitted a falsified PPP loan application, claiming she operated a business that did not exist. She submitted false statements about income and expenses, including a fraudulent IRS Form 1040. Based on these lies, she was approved for a $20,415 loan, which she used for personal expenses. Later, Harvell also submitted a fraudulent PPP loan forgiveness application, falsely claiming she had spent over $18,000 on payroll costs, leading to the loan’s forgiveness.
The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein, with asset forfeiture handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
The case is part of the Department of Justice’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which aims to investigate and prevent pandemic-related fraud. For more information or to report suspected fraud, visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
