Former state employee, Woodridge resident accused of fraudulently receiving PPP loans: attorney general

Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Tuesday charged a Woodridge woman with fraudulently received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for more than $20,000 while employed by the state of Illinois, according to an Illinois Attorney General’s Office news release.

The Attorney General’s office charged Candice Brumfield, 34, of Woodridge, with one count of theft by deception exceeding $10,000 and not exceeding $100,000, one count of loan fraud, one count of wire fraud, four counts of forgery and one count of income tax fraud, according to the release.

Brumfield’s next court appearance is July 31.

Raoul’s office also charged Arnita Rudd, 63, of Oak Lawn, with one count of theft by deception of less than $100,000, one count of loan fraud, one count of wire fraud, three counts of forgery and one count of income tax fraud, according to the release.

Rudd’s next court appearance is Aug. 5.

“Paycheck Protection Program Loans were a lifeline for many small businesses that otherwise would not have survived the pandemic. Abuse of these funds is inexcusable, but it particularly shameful when those funds are abused by government employees,” Raoul said in the release. “The people of Illinois should be able to trust that public employees are working on behalf of the public. I will continue to ensure all current and former government employees who took advantage of the pandemic to steal from loan programs are held accountable.”

Raoul’s office alleges Brumfield was employed by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) when she fraudulently applied for a PPP loan under the business name “Candice Brumfield.”

The indictment alleges she received a PPP loan of more than $20,000 in April 2021 from the U. S. Small Business Administration for what she claimed was a nursing or residential care business. At the time, Brumfield allegedly reported being the only employee, according to the release.

She later reported having five employees and claimed the business earned a total gross income of more than $97,000 in 2019. Brumfield also applied for and received loan forgiveness in November 2021, according to the indictment.

Brumfield also allegedly submitted false statements in a July 2020 application to receive a Disaster COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan, resulting in her receiving more than $8,000 for another business named “Sassy Hands.”

The indictment alleges Rudd fraudulently received a PPP loan for more than $20,000 from the SBA in June 2021 for her business “Arnita C. Rudd, doing business as VARS Transportation,” according to the release.

She falsely claimed the business earned a total gross income of more than $96,000 in 2019. Rudd also allegedly applied for and received loan forgiveness once she was employed at the Illinois Department of Veteran’s Affairs, according to the attorney general’s office.

Raoul’s office will co-prosecute both cases with DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin’s office.

“The pandemic hit small businesses throughout the State extremely hard, with some businesses surviving while others could not,” Berlin said in the release. “The money available through the Paycheck Protection Program was intended to help businesses stay afloat and not to line the pockets of dishonest actors, as alleged against these defendants. What I find particularly upsetting is that the money allegedly taken in these cases could have gone to legitimate businesses struggling to survive in very trying times.”

The charges filed against Brumfield and Rudd are the most recent actions Raoul has taken to hold individuals accountable for fraudulently collecting government assistance related to the pandemic.