A mother and daughter were punished with jail time for cheating COVID relief programs.

In a recent case that has shocked the residents of New York, a mother-daughter duo has been found guilty of committing fraud and receiving a whopping $1.7 million in COVID-19 relief funds. The mother, Andrea Ayers, was employed by the Mount Vernon Police Department, while her daughter, Alicia, worked as a financial advisor and accountant.

According to Lohud, U.S. District Judge Nelson Roman handed down the sentence, with Andrea receiving three and a half years in prison and her daughter Alicia getting two years. However, Alicia will serve six months of house arrest after her prison term. The two women were found guilty of submitting over 300 fake applications to the Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Program over a period of just three weeks.

These applications were submitted on behalf of their family and friends, with the women receiving a significant portion of the $10,000 grant for each application. Shockingly, many of the applicants were not even aware of the illegal nature of the scheme. The Ayers were arrested in March 2021 and pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and making false statements.

Despite their pleas for leniency, the judge rejected the women's requests and sentenced them to prison for their million-dollar fraud. Their defense team had argued for home confinement, citing their family responsibilities and remorse for their actions. However, the judge remained firm in his decision, stating that the seriousness of their crime warranted time in prison.

The final sentence given to the Ayers was less than what the prosecutors had initially sought, with the lawyers initially requesting a sentence of 5-6 years. However, even with a shorter prison term, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams hopes that their punishment will serve as a warning to those who are thinking of committing similar frauds.

In a statement, Williams shared his disappointment in the defendants and their actions, stating that they had taken advantage of a program designed to help small businesses during the pandemic. He also expressed his determination to continue bringing to justice those who exploit government programs during times of national emergency.

As part of their sentence, the judge has also ordered the women to forfeit $1.69 million and report to prison by August 2nd. This case serves as a reminder of the ongoing issue of scammers taking advantage of government relief programs, with recent reports confirming that scammers have reaped over $200 billion from PPP programs. Let this be a lesson to all that crime does not pay, and justice will prevail in the end.

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