ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OBTAINS GUILTY PLEA, RESTITUTION FROM FORMER COOK COUNTY SHERIFF EMPLOYEE OVER PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOAN FORGERY

February 04, 2026

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a Chicago woman and former Cook County Sheriff's office employee was ordered to pay more than $35,000 in restitution for forgery to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kimberly Flowers-Watson, 59, was sentenced by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Thomas J. Byrne to pay full restitution of $35,833 after pleading guilty to Class 3 felony forgery. She was also sentenced to two years of second chance probation.

"It is unacceptable that anyone, particularly government workers within law enforcement, would take advantage of Paycheck Protection Program loans," Raoul said. "These loans were intended for struggling business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I will continue to hold individuals accountable if they exploit critical aid programs for their own financial benefit."

The case was referred to the Attorney General's office by the Cook County Sheriff's office.

Flowers-Watson forged a PPP loan application to the U.S. Small Business Administration by falsely claiming that she owned a business that did not exist. According to Raoul's office, Flowers-Watson received $20,833 in August 2021 as the result of the fraudulent PPP application, as well as two Economic Disaster Injury Loans totaling $15,000.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Peter Ravoori for Raoul's Criminal Prosecutions Bureau.