2 people charged in Will County with identity theft, Paycheck Protection Program fraud

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office is prosecuting two people in Will County in a case that involves charges of identity theft, unemployment benefits fraud, forgery and Paycheck Protection Program loan fraud.

On July 28, Whitney Flowers, 22, of Maywood and Kaquanice Larry, 27, of Glen Ellyn were charged in a sealed indictment on July 28, in Will County court that was unsealed last week.

The indictment alleged Flowers and Larry used the identity of three people to fraudulently obtain more than $10,000 from the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

The indictment further alleged Larry presented two fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program. The program was established in 2020 to help businesses with payroll costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jamey Dunn-Thomason, the Illinois Attorney General press secretary, said the charges are the result of Raoul’s task force on unemployment insurance benefits fraud.

“The task force allows, for the first time, a broad coalition of federal, state and local law enforcement to collaborate and share resources to address widespread unemployment insurance benefits fraud,” Dunn-Thomason said.

Larry has not yet been booked into Will County jail in the case. Larry’s arrest warrant carries a $1 million bond.

Flowers was arrested and taken to jail on Aug. 22, on a $500,000 bond warrant. She pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Flowers’ attorney, Neil Patel, requested a lower bond for his client, which was granted by Judge Dave Carlson, according court records. Flowers’ bond was reduced to $50,000 and she was able to post 10% of that amount for her release from jail on Aug. 25. Carlson then assigned Flowers’ case to Judge Vincent Cornelius.

The Joliet Police Department and other law enforcement agencies have been conducting an investigation that has resulted in 14 arrests thus far charged in Will County with defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program.