A Little Rock woman has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison after admitting she fraudulently obtained nearly $2.1 million in COVID-19 relief funds intended to support struggling businesses during the pandemic.
Chandler Carroll, 33, pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025, to one count of wire fraud related to a $1.6 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. In her plea agreement, she acknowledged receiving four fraudulent federal loans totaling $2,087,623, with only $159,572 recovered to date. Carroll has been ordered to repay $1,928,050 in restitution and will serve two years of supervised release following her prison term.
The sentence was announced by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Alica D. Corder, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Little Rock Field Office. U.S. District Judge D.P. Marshall, Jr. handed down the sentence.
Fraudulent Loans and Lavish Spending
According to federal investigators, Carroll submitted falsified applications for both Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) using two companies:
Wilson Carroll Research Services (WCRS) — Texas-based LLC
WilCarr Ventures — Arkansas-based LLC
Carroll falsely claimed 100% ownership and submitted sworn certifications stating her information was accurate. Based on those representations, she received:
$149,900 in EIDL funds
Over $1.9 million across three PPP loans
Investigators say she used the money to purchase:
A 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor
A 2020 Ford Explorer
Luxury watches, including a Patek Philippe and a Rolex Cellini Moonphase
Diamond jewelry
1.5 acres of land
A home on the White River in Baxter County
Federal Officials: “A Web of Lies and Deceit”
U.S. Attorney Ross condemned the scheme, saying:
“What a tangled web she wove—a web of lies and deceit to steal emergency relief funds from the American treasury in order to line her pockets with more than $2,000,000… But now that the FBI has untangled her web and brought her to justice, she can go to her new second home—a federal prison.”
Ross encouraged Arkansans to report pandemic-related fraud, reminding the public that Congress extended the statute of limitations to 10 years, giving prosecutors until 2031 to pursue these cases.
Special Agent in Charge Corder added:
“When fraud is perpetrated against federal programs intended for the public good, we all lose. It undermines public confidence and misuses taxpayers’ money.”
Investigation Involved Multiple Agencies
The case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from:
U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
Small Business Administration
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General
Carroll will report to begin serving her sentence at a date set by the court.
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