Feds Indict 2 Canyon Lake Residents In Alleged Fraud Scheme

CANYON LAKE, CA — The U.S. Department of Justice released a list Tuesday of people it alleges scammed the federal government — and taxpayers — out of millions of dollars in COVID-19 pandemic relief money, and two Southwest Riverside County residents were named.

Amber Singleton, 42, and Emanuel Tucker, 42, of Canyon Lake were indicted last month in the Central District of California on charges of wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit those crimes for their roles in an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain $15.9 million in Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds, the DOJ announced.

From around April 2020 to about April 2022, Singleton, Tucker, and other co-conspirators allegedly submitted 41 fraudulent PPP loan applications and 13 fraudulent EIDL applications on behalf of various companies they owned and controlled, according to court documents.

"These applications allegedly contained material misrepresentations about the companies, including the number of employees, average monthly payroll, gross revenue, cost of goods, and supporting documents," according to the DOJ.

Both Singleton and Tucker could face decades in prison if convicted on all charges, according to the DOJ.

"The Criminal Division and our partners are committed to identifying and holding accountable those who exploit the COVID-19 pandemic for their own gain," said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. "As these cases demonstrate, we are unwavering in our determination to prosecute those who have defrauded relief programs meant to help struggling Americans during the pandemic."

The PPP and EIDL programs were part of the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act that was signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27, 2020, in response to the economic fallout of COVID-19.