ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – A Roanoke woman who was behind a large-scale wire fraud scheme to steal from various pandemic relief programs was sentenced on March 11 to eight years in federal prison and ordered to pay over $1.8 million in compensation.
Jaimeka Michelle Austin, 32, pled guilty in March 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering. She also had to pay full restitution to the Small Business Association (SBA) and $190,390 in a forfeiture money judgement.
She was indicted in June 24 with 23 others in a 142-count indictment alleging wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, making false statements and fraud in relation to an emergency benefits program…