Date: October 25, 2023 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Keonna Davis, of Buffalo, NY, with wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, and failure to surrender for service of sentence. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that in August 2021, Davis was sentenced to serve 88 months in prison following her conviction on federal charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to the indictment, between April 2020, and May 2021, while she was either charged or awaiting sentencing on the federal charges, Davis submitted applications to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the Payroll Protection Program (PPP). On the applications, Davis falsely represented that she was not subject to an indictment on criminal charges or was never convicted or pleaded guilty to any charges. Davis knew that she would have been barred from receiving any EIDL or PPP loans had she provided truthful information. Davis applied for approximately 12 loans on behalf of RayElle Boutique, Styles by Us, Styles by Keonna, Boudior Boutique, Rayelle Hair Boutique, and KED Logistics. Five of loan applications were approved, and Davis received approximately $110,200. In addition, Davis failed to report, as required, to the Federal Medical Center, Carswell Naval Air Station, in Fort Worth, Texas on November 10, 2021, to begin serving her 88-month sentence on her prior conviction. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward of the Boston Division. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
