[ad_1]
Eastpointe Mayor Monique Owens was sentenced Thursday for fraudulently applying for a COVID-19 small business grant in 2020.
Owens applied for the grant under the CARES ACT Small Business Fund and falsely stated her business had 100-249 employees and was 51% veteran-owned, investigators said.
Owens pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge for making a false statement in September and paid back the $10,000 grant money she received in restitution to Macomb County.
The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office required Owen to pay the restitution in advance of her plea as part of a policy to victims are made financially whole.
“Monique Owens, like any other defendant, was held responsible for her actions and required to pay full restitution before her plea,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement Thursday.
Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Faunce sentenced Owens to six months of non-reporting probation and 100 hours of community service at a non-profit organization, according to the release.
“The oath to uphold the law is sworn with the understanding that no one is above the law. As we honor Veterans Day, my office stands firm in its commitment to the people—to prosecute without hesitation and to hold accountable those who have betrayed the public trust, ensuring that benefits meant for veterans are not lost to fraud,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said.
Owens was running for re-election this year but lost during the August primary against three challengers, finishing third with 14% of the votes.
[ad_2]
Source link