Erica McMillian of Robeson County was sentenced on April 10 to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release for her involvement in submitting a false application to the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address fraudulent misuse of pandemic relief funds. According to the Department of Justice, these efforts are part of a broader initiative, including the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division and President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, which aim to investigate and prosecute those who steal or misuse taxpayer dollars.
Court documents show that McMillian submitted a fraudulent loan application for a non-existent business in Robeson County. She falsely claimed information about employees and revenue, and provided fabricated tax forms and bank statements. After approval, $150,000 was deposited into an account she controlled.
McMillian’s sentencing is connected to a larger investigation involving her family members—former Robeson County Sheriff’s Office deputy Ricky McMillian, his wife Erica McMillian, and their sons Dwayne and Derian—all convicted in connection with $542,288 in fraudulent Covid loan proceeds through schemes targeting both the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and Paycheck Protection Program.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced the sentence after it was handed down by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated the case; Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Ontjes prosecuted.
