BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – A former Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy was convicted Tuesday of two counts of wire fraud for orchestrating a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday in a news release.
According to prosecutors, Stephanie Diane Smith, 53, of Sunrise, received two PPP loans for herself in 2021 “as a sole proprietor doing business as Children 1st Basketball Training and Agape Smith Vending.”
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Prosecutors said Smith provided false information about each business’s gross income for 2019, along with falsified IRS tax forms that were submitted with each application.
“Smith also sought and received forgiveness of both fraudulently obtained PPP loans, which totaled over $31,000 in principal and interest,” the news release stated.
Smith, who worked for BSO last year when she was charged, was among 17 BSO employees charged in a wide-ranging PPP loan fraud investigation.
Sheriff Gregory Tony told reporters in October 2023 that all 17 employees would be fired.
“If they’re being criminally charged, there’s no place for this in this organization and their due process components will be executed and we will go through that process, but this one here is a no-brainer. How can we have anyone wearing a badge that is stealing from the American people?” Tony said at the time.
Smith faces up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud conviction. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29.