Kansas City Woman Pleads Guilty in COVID Fraud

Briauna Adams, a 28-year-old Kansas City woman, pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges including wire fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and theft of government funds in connection with a counterfeit check scheme and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. Adams used another person's identity to rent a townhome and open an investment account, into which she deposited a fraudulent U.S. Treasury check worth over $1.4 million that was later reversed by investigators. Authorities discovered approximately 253 stolen Treasury checks totaling about $700,000 in her residence. Additionally, Adams filed false PPP loan applications for others, causing losses of over $540,000. She faces up to 92 years in federal prison without parole, with sentencing to be determined by the court following an investigation. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice and investigated by federal agencies including the IRS.