Jefferson Parish Resident Guilty of Fraud and Identity Theft

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JELISSA LACOUR (“LACOUR”), age 36, a resident of Jefferson Parish, pleaded guilty on August 14, 2025 before United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier to two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.

According to court documents, LACOUR admitted that she obtained numerous Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using falsified tax forms, and that she fraudulently obtained Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds in the names of numerous purported renters. In some instances, the PPP and ERAP applications were for her accomplices who sought to benefit from the fraudulent applications, while in other instances, LACOUR misused others’ identities to obtain payments in their names.

At sentencing, LACOUR faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release for each wire fraud count, and two years of imprisonment, to be followed by up to one year of supervised release, for each aggravated identity theft count. Each count is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the of the Public Integrity Unit.

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