Six Family Members Indicted in PPP Loan Fraud Conspiracy, Two Also Charged with Pandemic Unemployment Benefits Theft

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, November 17, 2025

Six Family Members Indicted in PPP Loan Fraud Conspiracy,
Two Also Charged with Pandemic Unemployment Benefits Theft

Defendants Allegedly Used Fake Businesses and False Records to
Obtain More Than $166,000 in COVID-Relief Funds

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, today announced that six individuals - all members of the same family - have been indicted for allegedly conspiring to steal more than $166,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funds through fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and other pandemic aid. The defendants are accused of submitting fraudulent loan applications and forgiveness requests for fictitious businesses between April 2021 and October 2022.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, "Pandemic relief programs were created to help small businesses and workers survive an unprecedented crisis. We allege these defendants abused that system for personal gain by inventing companies and falsifying records. My office is committed to protecting taxpayer funds and holding accountable anyone who exploits public relief programs."

Inspector General Lang said, "The Paycheck Protection Program and unemployment assistance were designed as lifelines for New Yorkers during some of our darkest days. Stealing Covid-era public funds for personal gain is an affront to all who suffered. I thank District Attorney Gonzalez, his team, and my outstanding staff for our shared commitment to safeguarding the integrity of resources meant for our most vulnerable families and small businesses."

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Karima Branche, 46, of Brooklyn; Faye Wilkie-Fields, 68, of Brooklyn; Wilworth Branche, 70, of Georgia; Carol Horton, 68, of Brooklyn; Monique Horton, 38, of Brooklyn; and Paul Neufville, 41, of Florida. They are variously charged in a 23-count indictment with fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree grand larceny, 11 counts of third-degree grand larceny, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, seven counts of first-degree falsifying business records and one count of third-degree attempted grand larceny. They were arraigned today in front of Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Eugene Guarino, who ordered the defendants released without bail and to return to court on January 28, 2026.

In addition to the PPP loan fraud charges, Karima Branche is charged with third-degree grand larceny related to an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) advance. Wilkie-Fields is charged with attempted third-degree grand larceny related to an EIDL advance. Carol Horton and Monique Horton are also charged with third- and fourth-degree grand larceny for allegedly fraudulently obtaining Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, between April 2021 and October 2022, the defendants allegedly acted together to file multiple fraudulent PPP loan applications containing nearly identical financial information. Each claimed to operate a self-employed business, ranging from educational services to retail to marketing and consulting, and all submitted falsified tax forms listing identical expense categories and expense amounts.

The loan applications and forgiveness requests were allegedly filed from two IP addresses linked to Neufville. Relying on these submissions, lenders disbursed federally backed funds guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The defendants allegedly received a total of $166,664 in PPP loan proceeds.

• Karima Branche allegedly obtained two loans for $20,833 each from Benworth Capital Partners, LLC.

• Faye Wilkie-Fields allegedly received a $20,883 loan from Benworth Capital Partners, LLC.

• Wilworth Branche allegedly received two loans of $20,833 each, one from Benworth Capital Partners, LLC and another from Capital Plus Financial, LLC.

• Carol Horton allegedly obtained two $20,833 loans, from Harvest Small Business Finance, LLC and Capital Plus Finance, LLC.

• Monique Horton allegedly received a $20,833 loan from Harvest Small Business Finance, LLC.

The investigation further revealed that Neufville allegedly coordinated the applications and received payments from several co-defendants ranging from $500 to $2,500 marked for "services." Investigators found that the defendants later submitted loan forgiveness applications claiming at least 60 percent of proceeds were used for payroll.

The District Attorney thanked the New York State Inspector General's Office, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the New York State Department of Labor, the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Social Security Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York State Department of Taxation and Amtrak Office of the Inspector General for their assistance in the investigation.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sergey Marts, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney's Frauds Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Tony Kim, of the Investigations Division, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Adam Libove, Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, Assistant District Attorney Laura Neubauer, Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant's guilt.