LAKELAND, Fla. — Twelve members of a well-known Lakeland gang have been indicted on charges of wire fraud.

They are accused of stealing more than $230,000 from the PPP Loan Program set up during the COVID pandemic.

According to the indictment, the gang devised a scheme by allegedly submitting false and fraudulent paycheck protection program loan applications.

The gang is accused of stealing approximately $236,000.

The loans were devised during the pandemic to help bring economic relief to small businesses.

"These individuals, these 12 individuals who were part of the Hood Boys gang, both members and associates, male and female, chose to defraud the Small Business Administration and the SBA and the banks with which they were working by filing false documents," said Gregory W. Kehoe, U.

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