A Los Angeles woman is facing federal charges after allegedly fraudulently securing $18 million through COVID-19 small-business relief programs.
Marisela Nuno, 53, was charged Tuesday in connection with an alleged scheme targeting two emergency assistance initiatives created during the pandemic.
According to the Justice Department, Nuno allegedly defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, both of which were established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
“According to court documents, the defendant allegedly obtained funds under the PPP and EIDL program by submitting false and fraudulent loan applications that collectively sought over $15.7 million in PPP funds and over $2.6 million in EIDL funds,” the DOJ said.
Prosecutors allege that Nuno knowingly listed false information about the companies she owned, including inaccurate revenue figures. She is also accused of submitting fraudulent tax records to support the loan applications.
After allegedly receiving the relief money, Nuno used it for private property, business startup expenses and payments to relatives, according to the charges.
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She faces three counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Each wire fraud charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, while the money laundering count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years.
President Trump signed the CARES Act into law in March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the economy. The $2 trillion package was designed to help businesses stay afloat and avoid widespread layoffs.
In a separate case, a California couple was convicted in 2021 after allegedly obtaining $20 million through fraudulent COVID-19 relief applications.
The couple reportedly relied on “dozens of fake, stolen, or synthetic identities — including names belonging to elderly or deceased people and foreign exchange students who briefly visited the United States years ago and never returned – to submit fraudulent applications for approximately 150 PPP and EIDL loans,” the Justice Department said.
A California businessman was also charged in 2025 after allegedly taking more than $14 million in pandemic relief loans. Prosecutors said he spent the money on a rented villa, private-jet trips across the country and luxury vehicles, including a Rolls-Royce and a Land Rover.
