A former Phoenix police officer has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for fraudulently securing over a million dollars in federal COVID-19 funds.
Toni Richardson gave up her badge before she could be fired.
Federal authorities accused Richardson last year of lying on an application that led to $1.2 million in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program.
Court documents say Richardson knew she didn’t need the money to cover payroll for dozens of fake workers at a supposed charity for fellow veterans.
Prosecutors later said it was actually a social group. At least some of the money was spent on luxury goods, vehicles and properties.
Richardson’s lawyer wrote that a co-defendant duped Richardson into believing that signing a loan application would lead to helping veterans.
