Case advances against former ATF investigator accused of stealing COVID relief funds – The Oakland Press

The case against a former ATF investigator accused of stealing covid relief funds has been bound over to Oakland County Circuit Court for possible trial.

Tiesha Johnson, 56, is a former Farmington Hills resident who worked for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. She’s charged with three felony counts of false pretenses – $1,000-$20,000 for allegedly making bogus claims and receiving money from the Paycheck Protection Program Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Each crime is punishable by up to five years in prison.

This past week, the case was advanced after Johnson waived her right to a preliminary examination in 47th District Court. It’s alleged she fraudulently obtained three loans totaling $34,675 while she was a federal employee. Two were PPP loans, intended for payroll expense coverage for businesses during the covid pandemic. The other was an EIDL, intended to help small businesses recover from economic impacts endured during the pandemic.

Johnson allegedly had a business but no employees or payroll expenses. She was arrested in Dallas, Texas and extradited to Michigan last December.

Johnson is scheduled for arraignment May 8 before Judge Michael Warren.