Former Phoenix officer ordered to pay $1 million; sentenced to 15 months for PPP loan fraud

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - A former Phoenix police officer was sentenced Monday afternoon after using federal funds meant to help small and medium-sized businesses that had to shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Toni Richardson, who was working as a Phoenix police officer at the time, took a plea deal that included 15 months behind bars, including time already served, supervised release for three years, and a restitution of $1.014 million.

Court documents say that Richardson and another man disguised a social club as a business and claimed during the application that they would use the money to retain employees, maintain payment, and pay the business’s bills. Authorities say that Richardson and Mitchell withdrew more than $15,000 on several occasions to fund personal expenses and transfer the money to different accounts. In all, the pair received more than $1.2 million.

After Phoenix police learned of the allegations, they began the process to fire Richardson, but authorities say she resigned before that happened.

Richardson is now ordered to self-surrender by noon on Oct. 31.

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