A 50-year-old North Texas woman was indicted on 10 federal charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining over $680,000 in pandemic relief loans and using part of the funds to finance a home construction project in Cedar Hill.
The sources don't state an effect on taxes. They do state these figures.
COVID fraud scheme total$680,00012Who pays or receives it: U.S. government
PPP loans from Kabbage Inc.$210,69812Who pays or receives it: U.S. government
EIDL funds from U.S. Small Business Administration$299,80012Who pays or receives it: U.S. government
PPP loans from JPMorgan Chase$169,99412Who pays or receives it: U.S. government
Funds transferred toward personal residence construction in Cedar Hill$114,00012Who pays or receives it: April Watson
Funds wired to an individual associate$40,00012Who pays or receives it: April Watson
Who's involved
April Watsondefendant charged with 10 counts of wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering
Ryan RaybouldU.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas
Christopher J. Altemus Jr.Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Texas Field Office
Department of Justiceannounced the indictment
The facts
Watson made initial court appearance Oct. 23, 2026.2
Watson allegedly submitted fraudulent applications on behalf of Exotic Bliss Beauty LLC, Brain Evolution LLC, and Southern Home Ventures LLC.12Stated by 2 sources
Watson allegedly submitted fabricated payroll summaries and fictitious IRS documents prepared by an outside payroll company.12Stated by 2 sources
No payroll forms were generated and no business tax returns for wages or gross revenues were filed for 2019 or 2020.12Stated by 2 sources
Scheme operated between April 2020 and October 2021.12Stated by 2 sources
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Ryan Raybould, U.S. attorney Emergency relief programs were a vital lifeline, not for private home construction and luxury purchases.12
Christopher J. Altemus Jr., IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge COVID loan fraud is heinous; criminals fraudulently received money honest people needed to keep businesses alive.1
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
North Texas woman indicted in $680,000 COVID fraud scheme, accused of using some funds to build home
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
The Trump administration and U.S. officials disputed CBS News' 60 Minutes report on the deportation of Moussa Diawara, a 57-year-old from Mali who lived in Texas. The disagreement centered on Diawara's stated reason for seeking asylum and whether he was aware he would be deported to Mali via Ghana.
Moussa Diawara, 57-year-old Mali-born Uber driver deported from the United States; CBS News 60 Minutes, Reported on Diawara's deportation; Trump administration, Disputed 60 Minutes account and 4 more
Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Moussa Diawara, a Texas resident, to Ghana on July 31 as part of a third-country deportation program. Ghanaian officials subsequently sent him to Mali. A U.S. immigration judge had ruled in 2012 that Diawara could not be deported to Mali because he would likely face persecution there.
Moussa Diawara, Texas resident deported by ICE; Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), agency that deported Diawara; Department of Homeland Security (DHS), issued deportation paperwork and 2 more
Timothy France Johnson, 63, the brother of El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for running a Ponzi scheme involving NBA preseason games. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud and monetary transaction charges.
$$3,148,094.48 for restitution ordered
Timothy France Johnson, defendant; El Paso mayor's brother; Mayor Renard Johnson, El Paso mayor; defendant's brother; U.S. Attorney Simmons, U.S. Attorney and 1 more
The Port of Galveston announced it has received federal grants totaling $1.18 million from FEMA's Port Security Grant Program for security enhancements, including video surveillance, cybersecurity updates, smart padlocks, and a mobile vehicle barrier system. The port is contributing its own funds toward the projects.
$$393,750 for FEMA grant for video surveillance expansion (federal share)
FEMA, federal agency awarding grants; Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO; Port of Galveston, recipient of security grants
The Trump administration and Texas urged the U.S. Supreme Court to leave in place a consent agreement eliminating a Biden-era regulation that allowed immigration judges to suspend some deportation proceedings. Three cities and an immigrant legal services group sought to join the case and challenged the agreement's validity.
Trump administration, urging Supreme Court to uphold agreement; Texas, urging Supreme Court to uphold agreement; D. John Sauer, U.S. Solicitor General arguing for Trump administration and 5 more
A 65-year-old Edinburg man died in a rollover crash on U.S. 281 about six miles north of Premont on October 23, 2026. A tire blew out on a southbound pickup truck towing a trailer, causing it to strike another vehicle and roll over.
Edinburg man, driver killed in crash, age 65; Passenger in pickup, flown by air ambulance to hospital; Toyota Tacoma driver, 42-year-old, unhurt and 3 more
Daylight saving time in Texas ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks fall back one hour. Texas passed a 2025 law to keep the state on daylight saving time year-round, but it requires congressional authorization and remains inactive.
Texas legislature, passed 2025 law to keep state on daylight saving time year-round; U.S. House, passed federal Sunshine Protection Act; U.S. Senate, bill stalled with no scheduled vote
The Waco Police Department and McLennan County Sheriff's Office warned residents about phone scammers claiming to be law enforcement and demanding payment for outstanding traffic violations, warrants, or tickets. Police reminded the public that government agencies never request immediate payment over the phone.