A Windsor Mill resident was sentenced to 65 months in jail in connection with a conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving more than $3 million in fraudulent business loans for COVID-19 relief, according to a U.S. Justice Department for Maryland press release.
On Oct. 23, U.S. Attorney Erek Barron, Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough and Special Agent in Charge William Delbagno, announced the sentence of Tomeka Glenn, also known as “Tomeka Harris” and “Tomeka Davis,” for submitting millions of dollars in fraudulent loan applications for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Glenn also received three years supervised probation and was ordered to pay $3,016,275.62 in restitution.
The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the pandemic. Small businesses could apply for and receive forgivable loans for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Small Business Administration, which administers the program, also offered an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), which also did not have to be repaid.
According to Glenn’s plea agreement, beginning in June 2020 and continuing through March 2021, she and co-conspirators prepared false and fraudulent EIDL and PPP loan applications for various businesses (including some that did not exist in any legitimate capacity) and used false payroll, tax forms and bank statements.
Glenn admitted to receiving more than $400,000 in kickbacks for assisting in submitting the loans, according to details outlined in the release. In total, the scheme resulted in the SBA disbursing almost $2,715,650 in fraudulently obtained funds for some 23 loans. She used the money to purchase a Mercedes-Benz valued at $148,000, luxury items, a 3-carat diamond engagement ring, Rolex, Cartier and Breitling watches, and a Diamond Miami Cuban Link Chain with 31.5 carats of diamonds.
Glenn’s co-defendant Kevin Davis, 43, also of Windsor Mill, pleaded guilty in January to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
Glenn and Davis received $300,726 in CARES Act funds for several entities that they controlled, and Glenn attempted to fraudulently obtain $601,511 in additional funds.
At the time of the scheme, neither Glenn nor Davis had any legitimate source of income, but in May 2020, each applied for unemployment insurance benefits in the State of Maryland. In January 2023, a federal search warrant was executed at their home. Law enforcement found and seized four firearms loaded with ammunition hidden in air ducts and socks.
As part of their plea agreements, Glenn is required to forfeit a money judgment of $700,726, as well as the items she purchased and Davis must forfeit the firearms and ammunition.
The investigation is the work of the District of Maryland Strike Force, one of five interagency teams the U.S. Department of Justice established to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.