Florida Woman Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud

NEWARK, N.J. - A Florida woman who orchestrated a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $465,489 in COVID-19 relief funding was sentenced to 18 months' incarceration in Newark federal court on Friday, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.

Jane Batista, 44, of Lake Worth, Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin on October 1, 2024 to a two-count Information that charged her with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From April 2020 to August 2021, Batista submitted fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications for herself, her husband, and two businesses they owned and operated. In support of those applications, Batista lied about the number of employees the businesses employed, the income the employees earned, and the revenue Batista and her husband generated as sole proprietors. Batista also submitted forged documents, including fake tax return documents. After the victim lenders funded the loans, Batista used that money for personal expenses and made several large transfers, including one for approximately $15,000.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin ordered forfeiture in the amount of $465,489 and imposed a two-year term of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Maltese with the investigation.

The Department of Justice has established the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the National Fraud Enforcement Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. The National Fraud Enforcement Division will fulfill that mission by coordinating with agencies responsible for administering benefit programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification of fraud against taxpayer dollars; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice. The attorneys in the National Fraud Enforcement Division will work every day to protect the financial integrity of our government and the tax system that supports it.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron L. Webman, Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit, and Robert Taj Moore of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Murray Richman, Esq.

Renée C. Hill, Esq.