New York Woman Charged With Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1,000,000

NEWARK, N.J. – A New York woman has been charged with fraudulently obtaining more than $1,000,000, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Raena Fuller, 28, of Yaphank, New York, had her initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark.

According to the Complaint:

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in or around March 2020 that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act enabled the Small Business Association (“SBA”) to offer funding through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In or around September 2021, an application was made to the SBA for an EIDL on behalf of a business. In total, the SBA provided approximately $1,200,000 in response to the application. According to a representative of the business, the business did not make the application. Fuller eventually received a portion of SBA funds. In addition, Fuller was involved in additional criminal activity concerning fraudulent checks and received additional proceeds from her criminal acts.

The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits or twice the gross loss suffered to the victims of his offense.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Franklin Township Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.

The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

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Defense counsel: A. Charles Peruto, Jr., Philadelphia, PA