NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — A Brooklyn attorney has been charged with bilking federal agencies out of more than $287,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, according to the Queens District Attorney.
Jamie Burke, 59, of St. Albans, was arraigned Thursday on a compliant charging her with two counts of grand larceny and one count of offering a false instrument for filing.
According to Queens DA Melinda Katz, Burke allegedly lied on Federal Paycheck Protection Payment and Small Business Administration’s loan applications to steal funds that were intended to help businesses pay workers amid the pandemic.
Burke is accused of signing a PPP loan application on Aug. 17, 2020, indicating that she was the owner of Rojo Realty in Queens. She claimed she had 10 employees with a monthly payroll of $55,000.
Her loan application was approved on Aug. 19, 2020, and she was issued a check for $137,500.
Katz said Burke also made a request for a loan from the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster program on Aug. 9, 2020, claiming that her realty company had a gross revenue of $890,500 for the previous year, and claimed she had 12 employees.
On Aug. 11, 2020, a check from the SBA for $149,900 was issued to Burke for that application, according to the Katz.
In total, Burke was able to dupe the federal government of out $287,400, according to the Queens DA. Records show that she used most of the funds on personal expenses, including spending $80,000 placing bets at gambling establishments.
“This defendant is a member of the bar and swore an oath to uphold the law. Sadly, she now stands accused of swindling more than $280,000 in PPP and SBA loans to line her own pockets,” DA Katz said. “These programs were created to help struggling businessowners stay afloat and their workers employed during these unprecedented times. This defendant now faces very serious charges for her alleged actions.”
Burke is due back in court of Feb. 9, 2022. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison.
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