Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced today his office obtained a guilty plea and restitution in a case against a former state government employee who fraudulently applied for and received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) totaling approximately $28,408 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Attorney General’s office prosecuted Candice Brumfield, 35, of Woodridge, Illinois, who pleaded guilty to one count of theft, a Class 2 felony. Brumfield paid $5,000 in restitution upfront, with DuPage County Circuit Court Judge Mia S. McPherson sentencing Brumfield to pay $27,175 in remaining restitution and to complete two years of second chance probation.
“Loans from the Small Business Administration were vital for the survival of countless small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is egregious anyone – especially a government employee – would take advantage of these programs for their own financial benefit,” Raoul said. “I thank DuPage County State’s Attorney Berlin for his partnership on this case, and I will continue working to ensure individuals who exploited pandemic assistance programs for personal financial benefit are held accountable.”
Raoul’s office alleged Brumfield was employed by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) in April 2021 when she fraudulently applied for and received a PPP loan of more than $20,000 under the business name, “Candice Brumfield.” Brumfield applied for and received loan forgiveness in November 2021 for the loan. Brumfield also is alleged to have submitted false statements in a July 2020 application to receive an EIDL, resulting in her receiving more than $8,000 for another business named “Sassy Hands.”
Raoul’s office prosecuted the case with DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin’s office.
“Ms. Brumfield’s greed knew no bounds,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin said. “At a time when the entire country was reeling from a global pandemic and businesses were going under, she took that opportunity to line her pockets at the expense of legitimate businesses just trying to stay afloat. She enjoyed the luxury of a state job, which afforded her some financial insulation from the pandemic, while countless others saw their dreams disappear. I thank Attorney General Raoul and his team for their efforts in unraveling Ms. Brumfield’s elaborate scheme and for holding her accountable for her deplorable actions.”
This plea is the most recent action Attorney General Raoul has taken to hold individuals accountable for fraudulently collecting government assistance related to the pandemic. Raoul’s office has prosecuted a number of individuals for PPP loan fraud and referred other investigations to the appropriate state’s attorneys for further evaluation.
Assistant Attorney General Mara Somlo prosecuted the case for Raoul’s Public Integrity Bureau.
