NORTH CAROLINA — A Wake Forest woman has been sentenced to six months in prison and one year of home confinement for her role in a scheme to defraud the federal government out of COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds.
Sonya Lenise Davis, 57, pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to court documents, Davis submitted a fraudulent application for a PPP loan for her company, Sonya’s Braiding, inflating the number of employees and income to qualify for funds she was not entitled to receive.
Investigators said Davis also helped others submit false applications by preparing fake IRS forms and bank statements. In total, Davis and her co-conspirators illegally obtained more than $85,000 in pandemic relief funds.
Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II handed down the sentence on April 22, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar announced the sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Gilmore and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Labresh.
Additional court information can be found by searching Case No. 5:23-CR-00299 on PACER or the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina’s website.
