Investigation still open into Joliet pair’s alleged pandemic-related fraud case: prosecutors

The investigation of a Joliet man and woman accused of fraudulently receiving COVID-19 pandemic and Paycheck Protection Program funds remains ongoing, according to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Charges have also not been filed against Jelili Olaniyan, 34, and Asia Olaniyan, 41, state’s attorney spokeswoman Carole Cheney said. The pair was taken to the Will County jail on Oct. 7 following their arrest by Joliet police and then released the next day.

“It’s actively under investigation,” Cheney said.

On Oct. 7, detectives and officers executed a search warrant at a residence in the 1000 block of Edgerton Drive following an investigation of both Olaniyans, Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

The investigation indicated the two were “fraudulently receiving COVID-19 pandemic and Paycheck Protection funds,” English said. Both were arrested at the residence, he said.

English said detectives recovered “a large amount” of cash, two vehicles and designer clothing from the residence.

English did not respond to questions about the case on Friday. He previously said no further information about it would be released because the investigation is ongoing.

No one answered the door at the Olaniyans’ Edgerton Drive residence late Friday morning. The front entrance to Brisk Tax Services at 114 N. Larkin Ave. was locked that afternoon. Asia Olaniyan is a manager of the business, according her Facebook profile.

Attempts to reach both by phone and Asia Olaniyan on Facebook were unsuccessful.

The secretary of state’s website said Asia Olaniyan is a manager of Brisk Tax and Financial Services, 114 N. Larkin Ave.

Both Olaniyans and that business are listed in a Paycheck Protection Program database published by ProPublica, a nonprofit news organization. The data comes from the Small Business Administration.

The database lists Asia Olaniyan, Jelili Olaniyan and Brisk Tax and Financial Services as having been approved to receive PPP loan amounts totaling $41,643, $70,739 and $20,812, respectively.

Brisk Tax and Financial Services has an “involuntary dissolution” status under the secretary of state’s website. That status means the secretary of state’s office dissolved the business for failure to file an annual report or for failure to file annual fees, according to Dave Druker, the office’s spokesman.

On Feb. 19, 2020, Will County Judge Domenica Osterberger entered a default judgement of about $7,314 against Brisk Tax and Financial Services and in favor of Itria Ventures, court records show.

Itria Ventures’ attorneys claimed in a lawsuit that Brisk breached agreements with Itria Ventures by failing and refusing to make payments under the terms of those agreements. The lawsuit alleged Itria Ventures was owed about $7,314.