BLUEFIELD, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Anna Marie Omar, 50, from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, pleaded guilty today to money laundering for handling funds from a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. Omar acknowledged that she illegally secured a $20,833 PPP loan, which was backed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
Court documents reveal that on April 30, 2021, while living in Bluefield, West Virginia, Omar applied for a forgivable PPP loan. These loans were designed to help eligible independent contractors and self-employed individuals who suffered financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Omar falsely claimed to be an independent contractor with a gross income of $152,000 in 2020, stating that she earned this money while working for a water processing company, and that she had been in business since 2010. She later admitted to using the relief funds for her personal expenses.
A lender approved her loan application, and on May 17, 2021, $20,833 was deposited into her personal checking account. The next day, Omar transferred $12,216.70 of this amount to her personal savings account.
Omar is set to be sentenced on December 9, 2024, and could face up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. She also owes $23,410.60 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson announced the plea and praised the efforts of the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), Homeland Security Investigations, the Horry County South Carolina Sheriff’s Office, and the Myrtle Beach Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber oversaw the hearing, with Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage handling the prosecution.
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