New Orleans Woman Guilty of Aiding Preparation of False Tax Return, Aiding in Making False Statements to Small Business Administration and Making False Statements to Small[...]

NEW ORLEANS - ASHLEY COOPER ("COOPER"), age 41 of New Orleans, LA, pleaded guilty on March 4, 2026 before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to a three-count Bill of Information that charged her with aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return, aiding and abetting in making false statements to the Small Business Administration, and making false statements to the Small Business Administration related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, as to Count 1, COOPER admitted that she aided and assisted with the preparation of a false tax return on behalf of a client by claiming false fuel tax credits in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1). This false tax return resulted in a fraudulently obtained refund from the IRS for the 2022 tax year. As to Count 2, COOPER admitted that she also aided and abetted a person in filing a false Paycheck Protection Program loan through the CARES Act, resulting in a fraudulently obtained loan of approximately $20,832.00 in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001 and 2. Finally, as to with regard to Count 3, COOPER made false statements to the SBA to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related relief loans funded by the federal government, including PPP funds, for which she received approximately $19,790.00, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001.

Sentencing will be on June 10, 2026. For Count 1, COOPER faces up to three years in prison, up to $100,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release, for her false statements to the IRS. For Counts 2 and 3, she faces up to five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release for her false statements. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, per count, due after conviction.

For more information on the Department of Justice's response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera is in charge of the prosecution.

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