A federal jury has convicted Oscar Hills, IV, 53, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on two counts of wire fraud and two counts of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis following a three-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Brian A. Jackson. Hills has been residing in Honolulu, Hawaii since 2021.
Evidence presented at trial showed that between March and May 2020, Hills submitted fraudulent loan applications under federal relief programs established by the CARES Act. One application was filed under the name Bootstate Financial Group for a Payment Protection Plan (PPP) loan. In this application, Hills claimed Bootstate had 40 employees and over $270,000 in average monthly payroll—statements that were found to be false. Based on these claims, the lender approved the loan and deposited $675,272 into an account controlled by Hills. Shortly after receiving the funds, Hills used $75,500 to purchase a Dodge Viper.
Another application was submitted under the name Baton Rouge Teen Summit for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). In this case as well, Hills provided false information about employee numbers and operating expenses. The Small Business Administration approved the loan based on these representations and deposited $159,900 into his account. He then used $23,272 from these funds to pay eleven years of unpaid property taxes on his residence.
The trial also revealed that this is not Hills’ first conviction for wire fraud in the Middle District of Louisiana. On April 26, 2010, he pleaded guilty to four counts related to defrauding State Farm, Ascension Credit Union and Eagle Louisiana Federal Credit Union. He was sentenced in March 2011 to 33 months imprisonment and ordered to pay more than $89,000 in restitution.
For his latest conviction, Hills faces up to thirty years in prison per count of wire fraud and fines up to $1 million per count; for money laundering charges he faces up to ten years imprisonment per count with fines up to $250,000.
The United States Secret Service investigated this case while Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen L. Craig and John B. Casey prosecuted it.
Individuals with information regarding pandemic-related fraud are encouraged to contact the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud via their hotline or online complaint form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
