Woman who helped Broward deputies commit federal fraud pleads guilty: prosecutors

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida. – A woman who helped three Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies commit federal fraud was awaiting sentencing after recently pleading guilty to conspiracy to make false statements in Fort Lauderdale.

Lakeisha Black, also known as Lakeisha Pierce, admitted to charging between $2,000 and $6,000 to prepare fraudulent applications, which resulted in more than $400,000 in loans to the Small Business Administration.

Last year, Sheriff Gregory Tony announced the arrests of 15 BSO employees accused of defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program, intended to help small businesses during the pandemic.

“Detectives with the BSO’s Public Corruption Unit determined that more than 100 employees submitted PPP loan applications. Only employees who did not obtain the loans legally were criminally investigated,” Tony said last year.

The deputies assigned to the Black case no longer work for BSO, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in separate cases and were sentenced, according to prosecutors.

Black’s sentencing before U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith will take place Jan. 7.