Former Dallas County prosecutor accused of taking out $20K PPP loan for personal gain
DALLAS - A former Dallas County prosecutor is being prosecuted herself for allegedly committing fraud.
Federal investigators say 37-year-old Thelma Anderson took out a pandemic relief loan using fraudulent paperwork and used the money for her personal gain.
The feds say Anderson had her $20,000 PPP loan forgiven before the federal government caught on that her side business was not what she made it seem.
According to Anderson’s LinkedIn Page, she was an assistant district attorney at the Dallas County DA’s Office from 2016 to 2022.
During that span in 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas now says Anderson defrauded the federal government, according to an indictment.
According to the indictment, Anderson received a $20,817 Paycheck Protection Program loan.
PPP loans were backed by the Small Business Administration and were designed to help businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 crisis.
"It was very, very easy to get money," said Richard Roper, a former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas who’s not affiliated with this case. "And the only thing you had to do was essentially fill out a loan application, provide a minimal amount of documents, and the money came to you."
Anderson owned a clothing boutique in Irving as a side gig, according to the indictment, even though the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office prohibits its employees from holding a second job without special permission.
Anderson allegedly claimed Thelma Lou, her boutique store, had a monthly payroll of $8,237 and gross sales of $142,773. She allegedly attached a phony IRS form to support the claim.
However, federal investigators say, "the business had no payroll expenses and a meager income."
Anderson allegedly used the money for food, rent, entertainment and other personal expenses.
In the fall of 2021, Anderson applied for PPP loan forgiveness, claiming she’d spent about $17,500 of the original loan on payroll costs. Her $20,000 loan was ultimately forgiven.
"If the allegations are true, it was a substantial risk she was taking for very little return: only $20,000," Roper said.
While it’s rare for a once-prosecutor to be indicted for PPP fraud, overall PPP fraud was rampant.
An inspector general’s report released last year estimated $64 billion worth of PPP fraud. It says "at least 17% of all COVID economic injury disaster loans and PPP funds were disbursed to potentially fraudulent actors."
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If convicted, Anderson is facing up to 40 years in federal prison. But Roper says a punishment would likely not come close to that.
"It’s all up to a federal judge whether she should get probation or serve some time in federal prison," Roper said.
Anderson is charged with one count of wire fraud and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity.
FOX 4 reached out to the Dallas County DA’s Office with a list of questions. A spokesperson said, "our office has no comment."
Anderson's personal attorney gave a statement to FOX 4:
"Ms. Anderson, a licensed attorney and decorated former prosecutor, understands how the court process works, and she is looking forward to presenting her side of the story in the near future."