A San Antonio woman has been sentenced to federal prison for defrauding a COVID relief program, as per the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Leticia Arceneaux, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay nearly $500,000 in restitution.
Court documents show that Arceneaux worked as a human resources supervisor for a Department of Energy agency. Between August 2020 and April 2022, she misappropriated $480,100 in COVID relief loans intended for struggling businesses. A portion of the funds was used for personal expenses, including the purchase of a golf cart and the installation of a swimming pool at her home.
The case shows that Arceneaux first applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for a volleyball club and later requested additional funds through a loan modification. She provided false information to the Small Business Administration, which approved and disbursed the funds. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Arceneaux transferred the SBA funds from the volleyball club’s business account to her personal account…