(Just The News)—A former TV news anchor was convicted of fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief funds for small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program.
Stephanie Hockridge, 42, a co-founder of the Scottsdale-based lender service provider Blueacorn and a former anchor at the Phoenix ABC affiliate KNXV-TV, was found guilty on Friday by a federal jury in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain tens of millions of dollars in PPP loans, according to the Department of Justice.
She was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and acquitted of four counts of wire fraud, and faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years. Her sentencing hearing is on Oct. 10.
Hockridge, who lives in Puerto Rico after she and her husband, Nathan Reis, left Arizona, was shown in court to have conspired with others to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications, including by fabricating documents that falsified income and payroll to receive loan funds for which they were ineligible.
“During a time of crisis in our country, this defendant abused the generosity of the American people by stealing money dedicated to the survival of small businesses to fraudulently enrich herself,” Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson for the Northern District of Texas said in a statement on Monday.
- Read More: justthenews.com
At Last, a Company With Integrity in the Gold IRA Industry
For several years, I’ve been vetting out precious metals companies in search of the best. I believe in gold and silver but it’s hard to find integrity in the Gold IRA industry. The vast majority operate with shady tactics and gigantic spreads that take advantage of Americans who simply want to protect their life’s savings.
I’ve found a handful that I like and I’ve worked with some of them. By no means would I “unrecommend” them because, again, I vetted them out and found them to be above the fold. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be better than the rest when the rest are so darn awful.
After years of searching, I finally found a company that truly operates with integrity. Augusta Precious Metals has three important attributes that set them far above the competition:
- Non-Commissioned Sales Team: I cannot stress how important and unique this is. With just about every other company in the Gold IRA industry, the sales teams make commission from every account they open. This means they steer their clients toward the gold and silver products with the highest commission. With Augusta Precious Metals, the team is solely focused on putting the best gold and silver for their clients into their IRA. They get paid to serve the best interests of the Gold IRA client, NOT their own commission pay.
- Incredibly Low Fees: Most Americans would be shocked if they knew the spread other Gold IRA companies charge. Augusta charges just 5% versus up to 45% elsewhere.
- No Pressure, No Gimmicks: There’s an understanding among most in the Gold IRA industry that fear and pressure is the way to go. Augusta Precious Metals takes a sober approach when working with clients because they hold integrity in the highest possible regard. This is why they don’t offer gimmicks like “free” or “bonus” silver. It’s also why they do not apply pressure tactics to get quick sales. Their educational and transparent approach to doing business is exceedingly rare in the Gold IRA industry.