$1M bond set for Hanover Park woman charged with illegally obtaining PPP loans

Bond was set at $1 million in a DuPage County courtroom Thursday for a Hanover Park woman accused of illegally obtaining more than $80,000 in loans from the SBA Payment Protection Program.

Destiney Baker, 36, of the 1700 block of Bell Drive, is charged with eight felony counts of theft of government property, two felony counts of continuing financial crimes enterprise, five felony counts of financial institution fraud, 12 felony counts of forgery and 12 felony counts of issuing a forged document.

Investigators learned that Baker had allegedly illegally applied for five government-sponsored PPP loans during another investigation of her for four pending financial crimes. Authorities allege Baker used her name with a false social security number on three of the loans and other people's names on the other two while submitting false tax and bank documents to support a nonexistent health care business affected by COVID.

Baker was taken into custody Thursday morning when authorities found her loading a moving truck in front of her home.

Baker must apply 10% of the $1 million to be released on bond and must prove any funds used to post were not illegally obtained. Her next court appearance for arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 1.