Former Olympic speed skater charged with defrauding millions from government [View all]

[tenderfoot]

from the "Sports builds character" Department

From the Justice Dept:

Allison Marie Baver, 41, of Taylorsville, has been charged with nine federal criminal counts related to making false statements on loan applications to obtain funds obtained through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

In the indictment, Baver is charged with eight counts of making a false statement to a bank and one count of money laundering.

According to the allegations contained in the federal indictment, Baver is the listed owner and agent for Allison Baver Entertainment, LLC, and submitted eight PPP loan applications from April 13, 2020, through April 26, 2020 to Northeast Bank and Meridian Bank.

In each of the loan applications, Baver allegedly sought 10 million dollars of PPP loan funding for her entertainment company. However, prosecutors allege that Baver falsely stated in each loan application that ABE’s average monthly payroll was between $4,000,000 to $4,769,583, when ABE had no average monthly payroll; and, that ABE had between 100 to 430 employees, when ABE had no employees.

Prosecutors also allege that these false statements resulted in Baver fraudulently obtaining 10 million dollars in PPP loans from Meridian Bank, and that Baver accepted that money and transferred it to a separate bank account where she began using a portion of the funding to invest in a movie.

From KRON 4:



SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Former Olympic speed skater Allison Marie Baver has been charged with defrauding the government of millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program loans.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Utah says the 41-year-old obtained a total of $10 million in loans obtained through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Baver has been charged with eight federal counts of making a false statement to a bank and one count of money laundering.

According to court documents, Baver is charged with making false statements on loan applications for a company she owns, Allison Baver Entertainment, LLC. During the period of April 13, 2020, to April 26, 2020, officials say Baver submitted eight different loan applications to Northeast Bank and Meridian Bank. In each application, Baver allegedly sought $10 million of PPP loan funding.

Court documents say Baver claimed her company’s monthly payroll averaged between $4,000,000 to $4,769,583 for 100 to 430 employees when in reality, Allison Baver Entertainment had no employees and no average monthly payroll. Baver was able to obtain $10 million in funding, which prosecutors say she transferred to a separate bank account and used a portion of to invest in the production of a film.

Best known as an Olympic speed skater, Baver won a bronze medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics in the women’s 3000m relay after competing in the 2002 and 2006 Olympics.