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IRS and SBA Employee Allegedly Ran Pandemic Fraud Ring Right Out in the Open on Instagram

Attallah Williams, a former SBA loan officer and IRS tax‑examining technician, has been charged with conspiracy to defraud the government by submitting fraudulent Covid‑relief applications. Over a three‑year period she allegedly secured more than $3.5 million from four programs—EIDL, PPP, EIDL Advance and the Employee Retention Tax Credit—by approving fake claims and recruiting accomplices via Instagram. The scheme involved referral fees for each new participant, turning social media into a recruitment platform for fraud. Federal prosecutors announced the charges, emphasizing the abuse of her insider positions.