Marrero Woman Guilty of Cares Act Fraud

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, LINDA TRIGGS (“TRIGGS”), age 73, a resident of Marrero, pleaded guilty to making a false statement related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2).

On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  One of the  primary sources of funding for small businesses was the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

According to the charging documents, on or about April 18, 2021, TRIGGS, on behalf of a non-profit corporation that she owned, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain approximately $59,065 for PPP loans.

TRIGGS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, a fine of up to $250,000, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.  United States District Judge Brandon S. Long will sentence TRIGGS on September 30, 2025.

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.

Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.