A Kansas City, Missouri woman pleaded guilty on Mar. 9 in federal court to fraudulently obtaining two Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling $426,600 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address misuse of pandemic relief funds intended for small businesses affected by COVID-19. The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri handles such prosecutions across 66 counties in western Missouri, according to the official website.
Ashli Forbes, 40, admitted before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays that she submitted false applications and documents for PPP loans on behalf of Forbes Realty Company LLC and Left Lane Motors LLC, both owned by her. According to court records, Forbes claimed inflated payroll figures and provided fabricated tax documents as part of her applications. For example, she reported an average monthly payroll of $82,519 for Forbes Realty Company LLC and submitted payroll records listing $240,000 in Medicare wages for 2019; however, her tax return did not show any income from this company and she did not file a 2020 tax return.
Forbes also applied for a PPP loan for Left Lane Motors LLC with claims of high gross receipts and wages supported by forms that were never filed with the Internal Revenue Service. The fraudulent activity resulted in Commerce Bank wiring loan applications from Kansas City to the Small Business Administration in Virginia and depositing funds into accounts controlled by Forbes.
On January 22, 2021, Forbes transferred $20,000 from one of these accounts to pay an insurance bill—a transaction forming the basis for her money laundering plea. As part of her agreement with prosecutors, Forbes admitted involvement in fraudulent PPP loans for four additional companies totaling over $1.36 million.
Under federal law, Forbes faces up to 30 years in prison without parole; sentencing will be determined based on advisory guidelines and statutory factors set by Congress. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker following investigations by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City Police Department.
The U.S. Attorney’s office supports community outreach programs addressing issues like violent crime and drug trafficking according to its official website. It operates offices in Kansas City, Jefferson City and Springfield according to its official website, collaborates with various law enforcement partners according to its official website, covers a jurisdiction stretching from Iowa to Arkansas borders according to its official website, and is affiliated with the U.S. Department of Justice according to its official website.
