Woman Goes on $150,000 Shopping Spree Using COVID Relief Money
Jasmine Johnnae Clifton (24) of North Carolina lied to receive $150,000 in COVID relief money and spent it all at Nieman Marcus, Nordstrom, Louis Vuitton Ikea, Rooms to Go and jewelry stores.
In March Clifton applied for a COVID relief Small Business Administration loan. Her business, Jazzy Jas, closed in September 2019, yet, in 2020 her documentation claimed her online clothing business had made $350,000 in the past 12 months.
Although she falsified documents, Clifton was approved in August of 2020. That's when she took to the streets in a massive shopping spree that included over 24 different retailers.
According to ABC NEWS, in February of this year, a grand jury indicted Clifton.
A grand jury indicted Clifton on wire fraud in relation to a disaster benefit and fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits.
Each count carries up to 30 years in jail. She could also be fined a maximum of $1.25 million in addition to the jail sentence.
Clifton pleaded not guilty and is out on a $25,000 bond.