PADUCAH, Ky. (WBKO) - A Paducah woman was found guilty of federal charges for false claims and wire fraud on Friday.
Natasha Harris-Johnson, 52, of Paducah, filed eight tax returns for the 2018 and 2019 tax years on behalf of trusts she created, altogether demanding nearly $30 million in tax refunds she was not entitled to.
She also filed a fraudulent application with the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) for Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) funds during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in her receiving approximately $160,000 in SBA funds she was not entitled to.
She then used the EIDL funds for personal expenses and has not paid back any portion of the loan.
On Friday, Jan. 16, Harris-Johnson was found guilty on nine counts she was charged with at the conclusion of a week-long jury trial in Paducah. She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22 at 1 p.m.
She faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of eight false claims counts and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the single wire fraud count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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