Highlights:
- Baton Rouge teacher Kiasha Washington received over $20,000 in fraudulent PPP funds
- She claimed to run a fake hair-braiding business during the pandemic
- She pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to 3 years probation
- Washington must repay the funds; EBR schools say they’re reviewing her employment
- The case is part of a broader federal crackdown on pandemic aid fraud
Baton Rouge Teacher Gets Probation for Misusing COVID Relief Funds
A local educator misused pandemic relief funds, leading to a probation sentence and raising concerns about oversight of government aid.
BATON ROUGE, La. (KPEL News) — A Baton Rouge teacher has been sentenced to probation after federal prosecutors say she misused federal COVID-19 relief money—part of a massive pandemic-era aid program meant to keep small businesses afloat.
According to The Advocate, 41-year-old Kiasha Washington applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in 2021, claiming she operated a hair-braiding business. But investigators say that her business never even existed. Despite that fact, the application went through, and Washington received just over $20,000 in federal funds.
She pleaded guilty in 2024 to one count of wire fraud. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson sentenced her to three years of probation and ordered her to repay the money…