Kimberly Dumes, a 43-year-old Indianapolis resident and former U.S. Postal Service employee, has been sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to three counts of wire fraud. The sentencing follows her admission that she submitted fraudulent applications for federal COVID-19 relief programs between June 2020 and June 2021, resulting in a total loss of $51,664.
Court documents show that Dumes applied for federal aid under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act by submitting false information to obtain funds from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In one instance in June 2020, she claimed ownership of a business called “Braids by Kimi,” stating it had ten employees and $30,000 in gross revenue. Based on these claims, the Small Business Administration approved a $10,000 EIDL Advance deposited into her personal account.
Dumes later filed two additional PPP loan applications with inaccurate details about owning a business with one employee. She reported inflated income figures and payroll costs on both applications. The SBA approved each application for $20,832, totaling $41,664 sent to her account. Investigators determined that Dumes did not own or operate any business nor employ anyone at the time.
Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana stated: “Federal economic relief programs exist to support Americans in times of crisis, not to be exploited for personal enrichment. As a postal employee and public servant, Dumes held a position of trust-one that demands integrity and accountability. Our office will continue to pursue those who defraud these vital programs and undermine public trust in government assistance.”
Dennus Bishop, Special Agent in Charge at USPS Office of Inspector General Central Area Field Office said: “The United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to ensuring the accountability and integrity of Postal Service employees and stopping those who perpetrate fraud schemes.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston prosecuted the case.
