An Ohio woman and former bakery owner was sentenced to six years in prison and was ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution for stealing the identity of a dead baby and fraudulently obtaining a pandemic relief loan.
The woman, Ava Misseldine, 50, was sentenced on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Columbus, Ohio, according to court documents, more than 10 months after pleading guilty to 16 counts of wire and passport fraud.
“Ava was very remorseful over her past criminal behavior, and, at sentencing she read a very emotional statement accepting responsibility for her actions,” Alan Pfeuffer, a lawyer representing Ms. Misseldine, said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that she had outlined “plans to seek counseling while in prison.”As per the plea deal, which was outlined by the U.S. Attorney’s Office last year, Mr. Pfeuffer confirmed that Ms. Misseldine had already paid over $300,000 from the sale of a home in Michigan that she had bought using money from her Paycheck Protection Program loan.
Another home she owns in Utah is on the market, he said, and proceeds from that sale should bring her within a few hundred thousand dollars of making full restitution for her theft of P.P.P.
Persons:
Ava Misseldine, “ Ava, ” Alan Pfeuffer, Misseldine, Pfeuffer
Organizations:
U.S, Attorney’s
Locations:
Ohio, U.S, Columbus , Ohio, Michigan, Utah