JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A former Jacksonville pastor has been indicted on four counts of wire fraud for allegedly directing fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans, federal authorities said.
Marcus Eichelberger, 46, was accused in an indictment of directing another person between March 2021 and February 2022 to complete and submit applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) that they were not entitled to receive, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The indictment says the applications certified the proceeds would be used to maintain payroll and pay expenses for a purported business.
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After the loans were approved, prosecutors allege Eichelberger and the other person retained the proceeds for personal use rather than any legitimate PPP purpose and later fraudulently applied for forgiveness, causing about $50,000 in loss.
If convicted, Eichelberger faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count, authorities said.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those who use fraud and deception to exploit our nation’s federal benefits programs,” U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe said in a statement. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of these taxpayer-funded programs.”
Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the VA Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office said the investigation — conducted with the SBA Office of Inspector General — found that a VA employee and the employee’s pastor fraudulently obtained federal relief funds intended for legitimate businesses. “This case demonstrates the VA OIG’s unwavering commitment to detecting and preventing fraud,” Spilker said.
The charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.