Woman admits helping man defraud Paycheck Protection Program – after his murder arrest

By BRENDAN KIRBY

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    MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) — A Mobile woman admitted Monday to helping a man defraud the Paycheck Protection Program.

Tyanna Latoya Vionne Earl, 28, pleaded guilty to the federal conspiracy charge in U.S. District Court.

In exchange for the plea, federal prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of advisory guidelines.

According to the defendant’s written plea agreement, co-defendant Demetrius “Demetric” Richardson applied for money from the pandemic-relief program in April, about eight months after his release from federal prison. His application claimed 2019 revenue of $108,099 for a “janitorial services” business he purportedly created, according to court records.

During that entire year, according to court documents, Richardson was in prison. Still, the federal government approved the application and sent him $20,833 – the maximum allowed.

Earl admitted that she began helping Richardson with the application after his April 19 arrest on a murder charge in connection to a slaying on Ann Street.

A recoded call that Richardson made to Earl from jail on April 28 shows the two discussing transfers of the pandemic relieve money.

After the government deposited the funds in Richardson’s account in May, Earl transferred $10,000 to her credit union account for safekeeping, according to her plea agreement.

From May 14 to July 15, she accessed Richardson’s bank account 21 separate times, according to the documents.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock set Earl’s sentencing for February.

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