Michigan woman pleads guilty to misusing COVID-19 funds at LaPorte clinic

LAPORTE, Ind. – A Michigan woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing government funds designed to care for COVID-19 patients and using them instead for personal expenses, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

Amina Abbas, 36, of Taylor, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public money, according to court documents.

Abbas admitted to owning 1 on 1 Home Health, a health agency in LaPorte that she closed in early 2020, court documents reported.

The agency was not operating during the pandemic but it received approximately $37,657 for the medical care and treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Abbas admitted to stealing the government funds by issuing checks to her family members for personal use, according to court documents.

She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19 and faces up to 10 years in prison.

These charges are the first for the intentional misuse of funds from the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund.

The Provider Relief Fund compensated health care providers financially impacted by the pandemic by giving them money to care for COVID-19 patients.