JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 A former Jacksonville pastor has been indicted on federal fraud charges accusing him of improperly obtaining pandemic relief money through the Paycheck Protection Program, a news release Thursday from the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Middle District of Florida states.<\/p>\n
Marcus Eichelberger, 46, faces four counts of wire fraud tied to Small Business Administration loans issued through the PPP program, federal prosecutors said.<\/p>\n
Eichelberger and another person are accused of submitting fraudulent loan applications between March 2021 and February 2022 for money they were not entitled to receive, the indictment states.<\/p>\n
Investigators said the applications falsely claimed the funds would be used to maintain payroll and cover business expenses, but the money was used for personal use.<\/p>\n
The pair also applied for loan forgiveness, resulting in about $50,000 in losses, the news release states.<\/p>\n
Eichelberger faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count if convicted.<\/p>\n
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