A former Arizona ABC newscaster and her husband have been accused of committing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud during the coronavirus pandemic, prosecutors say.
Stephanie Hockridge-Reis, 41, a former anchor with ABC 15 Arizona, and Nathan Reis, 45, were both charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday.
Prosecutors alleged that the Arizona couple, who resided in Puerto Rico at the time of their arrests, “submitted false and fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of themselves and their businesses” by fabricating documents to receive funds they were “not eligible” for.
Hockridge and Reis co-founded their business, Blueacorn, in April 2020, “purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans.”
“In order to obtain larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Reis and other co-conspirators allegedly fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation, and bank statements,” DOJ officials said.
The couple allegedly charged borrowers “illegal kickbacks” based on how much loan funds they were able to obtain.
Hockridge’s former employer, the local ABC affiliate, reported that the couple had been “living a lavish lifestyle in Puerto Rico for the past few years.”
If convicted, the couple faces life in prison — up to 20 years for each count.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.