BALTIMORE — A former Baltimore City Council candidate will spend the next four years in federal prison.
Nichelle Henson, 38, was convicted of bank fraud for filing several fraudulent business loan applications.
Prosecutors proved she opened bank accounts and obtained Tax Identification Numbers for six LLCs named Crowns Construction; Nichelle Henson Campaign; One Stop for Services; Your Friendly Tax Preparation Services; Women Entrepreneurs Can Succeed; and Peace of Mind Services, Inc.
In her applications, the feds say Henson provided false information about business costs and the number of workers she employed.
At the time, none of the businesses were even operational.
Despite this, Henson received $18,000 in federal small business funds.
That's not to mention nearly one million dollars in loans she received from the Paycheck Protection Program during COVID-19.
One of Henson's so called businesses aimed to fund her Baltimore City Council run.
The problem was she applied for the federal loan on May 10, 2020, despite withdrawing her candidacy on November 19, 2019.
Henson, according to court documents, spent the money on "cosmetic surgery, extensive renovations to her home and a family member’s home, a year’s rent payment for her personal home, a year’s rent payment for a new business venture, and to fund other new business ventures."
Among the endeavors, a used-car dealership which never opened, and a cryptocurrency initiative tied to an entity called the "Adageyhdi Indian Nation.”
Overall, Henson collected nearly $1.7 million in federal money under false pretenses.
