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Missouri PPP Loan Fraud Lawyers – Federal Defense
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Last Updated on: 17th November 2025, 08:40 pm
Welcome to Spodek Law Group. This article is about PPP loan fraud in Missouri. If you’re accused of PPP loan fraud, or you suspect you might be under investigation – it’s time to speak to our attorneys and get a risk free consultation. There is a 10 year statute of limitations when it comes to dealing with PPP loan fraud investigations – it means there’s immense time.
If your on this page, chances are federal agents have contacted you about PPP fraud in Missouri—or that letter arrived and you’re stomach dropped. Look, Spodek Law Group is a second-generation criminal defense firm with over 50 years combined experience. Todd Spodek—the attorney which represented Anna Delvey (Netflix 2022)—understands what you’re facing when Missouri prosecutors comes after you for pandemic fraud. Unlike other firms, we owe loyalty only to YOU. That said, you need to act quick.
Missouri’s Two Districts – Location Determines Everything
Here’s what most defendants don’t realize upfront: Missouri has TWO federal judicial districts prosecuting PPP cases pursuant to 18 USC § 3231 (federal jurisdiction). Western District. Eastern District. Different United States Attorneys. Different Article III judges entirely. In fact, this geographical distinction determines virtually everything about your case’s disposition and ultimate sentencing exposure.
Geographically speaking: Kansas City/Springfield → Western District (U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore). Meanwhile, St. Louis/Farmington → Eastern District (U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming). Both districts are aggressive—both pursuing 2025 PPP cases with zero mercy. Clearly, location matters more than most people think. Nevertheless, both prosecute with equal intensity.
Take for instance Briauna Adams: 11 years at age 29 for $540K fraud (Western District, Judge Kays). Her entire 30s behind bars. Likewise, Renetta Golden-Larimore: 51 months for 43 false applications (Judge Wimes). Furthermore, Farmington defendant: 9 years for $3M + witness tampering charges (Eastern District, Judge Pitlyk). In addition, these cases demonstrate zero tolerance.
Bottom line: Both districts equally harsh. First, Western prefers multi-defendant conspiracy takedowns (11 people indicted simultaneously Feb 2024). Second, Eastern adds witness tampering charges real aggressive. Third, rural Missouri (Springfield, Columbia, Farmington) is NOT flying under radar whatsoever. At the same time, both districts coordinate with federal agencies.
The Silent Investigation Timeline – What Already Happened
By the time you recieved that target letter or Special Agent initiated contact, here’s what already transpired pursuant to established investigative protocols:
Months 1-2: Initially, SBA Office of Inspector General or IRS Criminal Investigation flagged you’re application. Automated systems cross-reference W-2 wages against PPP payroll claims. If the numbers don’t match—and they probably dont—you’re file gets referred to federal prosecutors. You might could think your safe, but your not.
Months 3-4: Next, bank records been subpoenaed without you’re knowledge. They track where PPP funds went. Personal expenses? Luxury purchases? Each and every transaction becomes money laundering evidence, seperating the spending from the fraud itself. Between you and I, this is when the case gets built.
Months 4-6: Following that, witness interviews begin—current employees, former employees, you’re accountant which prepared the application, business partners. Their building a case while your going about life, unaware. They been investigating for months already.
Month 6-8: At this juncture, critical decision point. Target letter sent (“your under investigation”) OR sealed indictment created (no warning—just arrest).
Month 9-12: Eventually, you find out.
This timeline reveals something critical—your not at the begining of your case. Rather, you’re many months into a investigation that’s substantially complete. Bank records? Already pulled. Witnesses? Already interviewed. Thus, your statement to agents becomes the last piece they need—and if it contradicts what employees/accountants already told them, you just added obstruction charges which is a seperate felony. Needless to say, this complicates everything. Therefore, silence is critical. In regards to talking, dont do it.
Consider this example: The 11-defendant Missouri conspiracy illustrates this perfectly: sealed indictment in February 2024, yet investigation was necessarily complete by Summer/Fall 2023 (approximately 4-8 months earlier). Defendants didnt know for months while prosecutors assembled the entire case. By the time you called a lawyer, they arrested you’re partner already. Subsequently, coordinated 6am arrests—all 11 defendants simultaneously—creating immediate panic and cooperation pressure between each defendant. Undoubtedly, this was by design. In contrast, target letters give advance warning. The amount of defendants was shocking.
What NOT to do: Don’t try and “fix” your PPP application now. Amending it post-investigation = obstruction evidence. Moreover, don’t contact employees asking what they told the FBI neither. For example, that Farmington defendant? Added 10+ years to his sentence for witness tampering (18 USC 1512). In other words, even casual conversations—”what did you tell them?” or “we should of been consistent”—transform into federal felonies real quick. Still, people make this mistake.
The $20K Prosecution Myth
Think again. Thats wrong. Absolutely wrong.
To illustrate: Lakeysha Day (VA employee, Columbia MO): indicted for exactly $20,000. Federal charges. 30 years maximum. Essentially, the amount didn’t matter.
Case in point: The 11-defendant conspiracy: $220K ÷ 11 = approximately $20K per person. All 11 was prosecuted federally irregardless of the amount. Indeed, every single one faced charges. This here is proof.
Post-2023, automated systems eliminated thresholds entirely. IRS cross-references W-2s instantly. No safe amount whatsoever. $10K, $20K, $50K—all result in charges if discrepencies exists. Wait actually I should explain this better—even if you think its too small to prosecute, they prosecute anyways. In reality, there’s no minimum. Though some lawyers claim otherwise, the data contradicts them. The less money you took, the less relevant it is.
Notably, government employees face harsher treatment: §3B1.3 “abuse of trust” enhancement = 30-50% longer sentences based off your position. Specifically, this targets public servants. Particularly, VA employees like Lakeysha Day face severe penalties. While private citizens get standard guidelines, federal employees get enhancements. Whereas normal fraud might could get 3 years, abuse of trust pushes it to 5+ years. Although this seems harsh, judges apply it consistently. If I was you, I’d be real worried.
Multi-Defendant Cooperation Race
If you’re accountant prepared multiple PPP applications or business partner referred others—your facing multi-defendant conspiracy. First cooperator wins. Simple truth. No exceptions. The principle reason being that cooperation gets rewarded.
Here’s the breakdown: Missouri 11-defendant case: Feb 2024 sealed indictment, all 11 charged simultaneously. Total: $220K. However, federal conspiracy law makes ALL 11 liable for ENTIRE $220K (joint and several liability). This here is critical. Basically, everyone pays for everything. As per the statute, joint liability applies.
Take Daisha Sanders (one of 11): pleaded guilty Nov 2024. Sentencing postponed—cooperators sentenced LAST, after testifying against others. She’s likely testifying against the other 10 right now. Presumably, she got the most best deal available.
What happens to the others? Trial with Sanders + a couple day of cooperators testifying. Inevitably, someone gets labeled “leader” (§3B1.1 adds 3-4 years). For instance, Renetta Golden-Larimore labeled leader: 51 months. Cooperators: probably 12-24 months maybe less. The contrast is stark. The final outcome depends on cooperation.
Typical timeline goes like this: Indictment → first cooperation (6-12 months maybe). After first flip: 30-60 days before others panic. Last to trial: worst outcomes period. No question about it.
DO NOT CONTACT CO-DEFENDANTS. Witness tampering (18 USC 1512) adds 10 years minimum and thats if your lucky because that Farmington guy got way more then that for witness tampering and trying to coordinate storys with the witnesses and everything. Seriously man, dont even think about it because youll get yourself jammed up bad.
Money Laundering Doubles Exposure
Understanding the charges: Recieving fraudulent PPP loan = wire fraud (30 years max). SPENDING it = money laundering (20 years per transaction seperately). Put simply, two crimes not one. This peaked my interest when I first learned about it.
Examples include Briauna Adams: 11 years partially from money laundering charges stacked on top. Similarly, Venester Fayne (Kansas City): pleaded guilty to wire fraud + money laundering for jewelry purchases, faces 30 years max (sentencing Feb 2025 I think). Both cases demonstrate this pattern. Contact myself if you need clarification on this.
The mechanics are straightforward: Each expenditure = seperate count. Transfer to personal account = count #1. Buy car = #2. Jewelry = #3. The charges stack relentlessly and theres nothing you can do about it once their filed. Honestly, its devastating. Yesterday the FBI come to three different defendantsleftovers houses and arrested them all.
2025 Sentencing Surge – 40% Longer Then Before
Defendants sentenced 2024-2025 getting 40% longer terms than 2021-2022 for identical conduct irregardless of circumstances. This is shocking. Genuinely shocking. The most defendants plead guilty nowadays.
Early pandemic era: “COVID confusion” mitigation worked good. Nowadays: “taxpayer theft during crisis” aggravation dominates. Judges making examples systematically of everyone who took PPP loans fraudulently and your probably gonna be one of them examples if you dont act quick. Frankly, the window is closing. Me and my colleagues seen this pattern repeat again and again.
Comparing Missouri cases: Adams (11 years for $540K versus 6-7 years in 2022). Farmington (9 years for $3M compared to 5-6 years in 2022). The difference between them years is real significant and it demonstrates that waiting dont help you it hurts you because sentences are getting more stricter not less stricter. Plainly stated, time makes it worse. This here effect is undeniable.
Bottom line here: Dont wait for statute to expire neither because sentences getting WORSE not better and by the time the statute runs out your gonna face worse judges worse prosecutors worse everything and irregardless of that the statute might not even protect you if they already filed a sealed indictment which you wont know about untill they arrest you at 6am and by then its to late to do anything about it accept hire a lawyer and try and cooperate but if your the last one to cooperate then your gonna get the worst deal and probably go to prison for many, many years and loose everything your house your job your family everything and irregardless of what you think you know about federal law you dont know enough and you need help NOW before its too late and everything falls apart.
Why Spodek Law Group
Todd Spodek—Anna Delvey’s attorney (Netflix 2022)—handles Missouri federal cases with over 50 years combined firm experience. As a second-generation defense attorney, he understands federal sentencing real good, cooperation agreements, multi-defendant dynamics which centers around them conspiracy cases. Simply put, he knows this system. He’s wanting to help you.
Unlike other firms, we’re selective—only cases we can win. Available 24/7 precisely because federal agents arrest at 6am not business hours and you need someone whom answers the phone when it happens not when its convenient. Truth is, timing matters. Due to the fact that federal cases move quick, you must act now.
Contact us BEFORE you:
- Talk to FBI agents (anything you say will be used against you)
- Contact co-defendants (witness tampering risk adds 10 years minimum)
- Amend PPP application (obstruction evidence that makes everything worse)
First cooperator gets best deal period. Last to trial gets destroyed completely. If multi-defendant situation that race is happening NOW and every day you wait is a day closer to being the last one and getting the worst outcome possible and spending you’re entire life in federal prison which is no joke because federal prison is real different then state prison and the sentences are longer and theres no parole and once your in the system your in the system forever and it effects everything you’re credit you’re ability to get a job you’re professional licenses everything and you cant never escape it and irregardless of whether you think you can handle this yourself you cant because the system is designed to destroy people who dont have experienced representation and anyways you need to understand the actual fact that this ain’t going away on accident and between you and myself you need legal representation more then you realize. Ultimately, you need professional help.
Call 24/7 – risk-free consultation – Missouri Western/Eastern District experience – we handle cases in both districts and we know the judges and the prosecutors and we know what works and what dont work and we can help you but you need to call NOW before its to late because every minute counts alot.