A Los Angeles woman faces federal charges for allegedly defrauding emergency small business relief programs of $18 million. Marisela Nuno, 53, was accused by the Department of Justice of submitting false and fraudulent loan applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
According to court documents, Nuno allegedly sought over $15.7 million in PPP funds and more than $2.6 million in EIDL funds by providing false information about businesses she owned, including inflated gross revenues and fabricated tax documentation. The CARES Act, signed into law in March 2020, authorized these programs to provide economic relief to businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prosecutors allege that Nuno used the obtained funds for personal expenses, including private property purchases, business startup costs, and payments to family members. She has been charged with three counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and the money laundering charge carries up to 10 years.
This case follows other prosecutions related to pandemic relief fraud. In 2021, a California couple was convicted for defrauding the programs of $20 million, using numerous fraudulent identities. Separately, a California businessman was charged in 2025 for swindling over $14 million, which he allegedly used for luxury purchases and travel.