Hancock County woman sentenced for making a false statement

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Nichole P. Northcraft, of New Cumberland, West Virginia, was sentenced to six months probation for making a false statement when applying to the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business and Capital Ownership Development Program, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced. 

Northcraft, 44, pled guilty to one count of “False Official Writings.” Northcraft, as a minority, made a false claim about business ownership to benefit from the SBA’s program in February 2018. 

The Small Business Administration operates programs to assist socially or economically disadvantaged business operators. The businesses must be unconditionally owned and controlled by the qualifying individuals in order to comply with federal law.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.