Treva Harris, 50, has been sentenced to one year in jail for fraudulently obtaining over half a million dollars from COVID-era federal financial relief programs. The disbursements were used for personal expenses, including luxury goods and vacations, according to court filings.
Harris had previously drawn significant online attention for organizing an opulent Cinderella-themed prom send-off for her daughter, Azar, in 2024. The event reportedly cost $27,000, transforming a Philadelphia parking lot into a replica of Cinderella's castle with features like a gilded carriage and a two-story castle structure. At the time, Harris told The Philadelphia Inquirer, "I do what I can for [my kids] while they’re younger. When they get older, I don’t have so much control over their happiness. I have a little bit of control now. So I do everything in my power to make sure that my kids are happy."
Authorities stated that Harris applied for and received funds from the U.S. Small Business Administration's COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). These programs were established in March 2020 to assist small businesses in covering payroll, utilities, and rent during the pandemic.
In April 2020, Harris applied for an EIDL for her childcare business, the Child Prodigy Education Center in Philadelphia. She received $514,900 in disbursements, accurately reporting three employees and costs. However, two months later, she submitted a separate PPP loan application for the same business, significantly inflating the number of employees and payroll figures in fraudulent IRS forms. She claimed the business paid $2,568,000 to 27 employees in 2019. Based on this application, a bank issued a $535,000 wire transfer to an account controlled by Harris.
Court filings indicate the funds were subsequently used for "personal and unauthorized expenses," including transfers to a boyfriend, large cash withdrawals, and vacations. Harris was charged last year and pleaded guilty in October to one count of bank fraud.
Prior to her sentencing hearing, Harris's attorney submitted a letter to the judge detailing her progress since the initial complaint, including the expansion of legitimate business operations, obtaining professional qualifications, pursuing further education, and continued community work. The letter also provided character references from friends, business owners, and community members.
On September 10, Judge John F. Murphy sentenced Harris to one year in jail, followed by three years of supervised release. She was ordered to repay the $535,000 obtained through fraud, along with a $7,500 fine and a $100 special assessment, according to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania's U.S. Attorney's Office.
