Image Credit: Canva
Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
A 62-year-old woman from Knoxville has been indicted on federal charges accusing her of laundering money obtained through fraudulent unemployment insurance claims during the COVID era.
On July 28, a Chattanooga federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Amy Denise Fields on one charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one substantive money laundering offense, stating Fields and several others not named in the indictment conspired to launder money they knew was fraudulently obtained from federal programs.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Field’s co-conspirators submitted fraudulent applications for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits to several states during the COVID-19 era, with many of those applications listing Fields’ personal information, including her residential address and bank account information, which she provided to her co-conspirators.
The co-conspirators then had the stolen funds electronically deposited into Fields’ bank accounts, several of which she opened specifically to further the conspiracy, federal prosecutors say. Fields then withdrew the funds, often in cash, and deposited that cash into Bitcoin ATMs across Eastern Tennessee in an attempt to conceal the source of the money.
Fields appeared in federal court on August 3, pleading not guilty, and was released pending trial, which is scheduled for October 6, 2026, in Knoxville.
If convicted, Fields faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine up to $500,000, restitution, and forfeiture.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
