Georgetown woman convicted after taking $2.4 million from feds with fake loan applications

A federal jury convicted a Georgetown woman in connection with receiving $2.4 million after submitting fraudulent loan applications to a federal paycheck protection program, officials said.

Tiffany Fullerton, 47, was convicted on Monday of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to a news release from the U.S. district attorney's office. She has not yet been sentenced, according to the court docket.

Fullerton, along with her husband Michael Fullerton and two other people, David Scott Starkes and Joseph Robles, used dormant and expired business names to submit five paycheck protection loan applications, the release said. It said the applications were for more than $3 million.

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The federal government established the paycheck protection program in 2020 to help small businesses meet their payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fullerton, her husband, Starkes and Robles received $2.4 million in paycheck protection funds after four of their applications were accepted, the release said. It said the money was used to try to start a business in Oklahoma that included a marijuana dispensary, a bar and grill and an auto/boat repair shop.

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The money also was partly used to buy a motor home, luxury watches and a boat, according to the release. Michael Fullerton, Starkes and Robles have pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on May 30, authorities said.

Information about when Tiffany Fullerton will be sentenced was not available on Tuesday.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Georgetown woman convicted after paycheck protection program fraud