Woman claims connection to local pizza chain to allegedly steal nearly $2M in COVID relief funds

DAYTON — Two Ohio women have been federally charged after allegedly stealing over $2.8 million in Covid relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), including one who claimed to be affiliated with a local pizza chain.

Lorie Schaefer, 62, of Westerville, allegedly received nearly $1.9 million in COVID-19 relief funds after fraudulently claiming an affiliation with Flying Pizza, which has locations in Dayton, Centerville, and Fairborn, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of Ohio.

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She allegedly opened a new bank account in December 2020 before registering a fake business name with the state the following March. She claimed the business was established in March 2021 despite the fact the original Flying Pizza was established in 1984.

When they were notified that a PPP loan for nearly $1.9 million was filed in their business name, those at the family-owned business said that their restaurants couldn’t justify such a large loan.

Bank records indicate she improperly used PPP funds for personal expenses, including liposuction and a newborn baby gift. She also allegedly used over $900,000 to buy and renovate a condominium.

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Schaefer also allegedly helped her co-defendant, 42-year-old Latisha Holloway, of Reynoldsburg, steal more than $980,000 in PPP loans.

Holloway claimed to own a business called Jaguar Logistics, LLC, and submitted her loan application within a month of Shaefer receiving PPP loans. She also allegedly wired Schaefer $180,000 after receiving her loan.

Both women were arrested last August and are facing two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.

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