georgia ppp and eidl loan fraud lawyers

Thanks for visiting Federal Lawyers. We’re a second-generation law firm managed by our lead attorney – with over 40 years of combined experience handling federal criminal cases nationwide. If you’re facing a PPP or EIDL loan fraud investigation in Georgia, you need to understand what you’re up against. Federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Georgia and Middle District of Georgia have been aggressive in pursuing pandemic loan fraud charges, and they’re not slowing down in 2025.

Atlanta, Savannah, Macon, Augusta – we’re seeing cases across Georgia. The charges are serious: wire fraud, bank fraud, making false statements. The exposure is significant: 20 years for wire fraud, 30 years for bank fraud. And federal investigators aren’t just targeting obvious fraud schemes with fake businesses and stolen identities. They’re scrutinizing legitimate business owners who made mistakes, who inflated numbers, who misunderstood confusing program requirements.

Why Georgia Has So Many PPP Fraud Cases

Georgia saw massive PPP and EIDL loan volume during the pandemic. Thousands of businesses applied for and received emergency funding. Atlanta alone accounted for billions in SBA loans. Now federal investigators – working with the SBA Office of Inspector General, FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation – are auditing those loans systematically.

They’re comparing loan applications against tax returns. They’re matching claimed payroll numbers against actual payroll records. They’re tracking where funds went by reviewing business bank accounts. When they find discrepancies, they refer cases to federal prosecutors. The Northern District U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta has made PPP fraud a priority. So has the Middle District office covering Macon and Savannah.

What gets people charged? You claimed 25 employees when you actually had 18. You said your business was operational since 2019 when it didn’t start until 2020. You used EIDL funds to pay personal credit cards instead of business expenses. You received both PPP and EIDL funding but didn’t disclose one on the other application. You certified you had no delinquent federal debts when you did. These are the actual allegations we see in Georgia cases.

The Investigation Timeline Nobody Expects

Most Georgia defendants we work with say they had no idea they were under investigation until agents showed up or they received a target letter. The investigation phase happens quietly. The SBA flags your loan for audit – maybe because of a discrepancy in your forgiveness application, maybe because your loan amount seems disproportionate to your reported revenue, maybe because someone tipped them off.

That referral goes to the SBA Office of Inspector General. They pull your complete loan file, your tax returns going back five years, your business bank records. They interview your employees. They sometimes conduct surveillance on your business. They build a comprehensive case before you ever know they’re looking at you.

Then they reach out. Federal agents call you asking to “discuss your loan application.” Or they show up at your business or home. Or you receive a grand jury subpoena for documents. Or you get a target letter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office stating you’re under investigation. By this point, they’ve already gathered significant evidence and formed conclusions about your guilt.

DEFENSE TEAM SPOTLIGHT

Todd Spodek

Lead Attorney & Founder

Featured on Netflix's "Inventing Anna," Todd Spodek brings decades of high-stakes criminal defense experience. His aggressive approach has secured dismissals and acquittals in cases others deemed unwinnable.

NY Bar Admitted Multi-State Licensed Federal Courts

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What These Charges Actually Mean

Wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 is the most common charge. If you submitted a loan application electronically and made false statements, that’s wire fraud. Maximum sentence: 20 years in federal prison. Bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1344 applies when you made false statements to obtain funds from a financial institution. Maximum sentence: 30 years. Making false statements under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 covers lying to the federal government. Maximum sentence: 5 years.

Legal Scenario: What Would You Do?

Scenario

You submitted a PPP loan application through your Georgia-based staffing company listing 47 employees, but your actual payroll records only supported 12 workers at the time. The SBA Office of Inspector General has now subpoenaed your bank records and is coordinating with the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Georgia.

Can I still face federal charges even though my business was legitimate and I did use some of the PPP funds for payroll?

Attorney's Answer

Absolutely — partial legitimate use does not shield you from prosecution. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud) and 18 U.S.C. § 1014 (false statements to a financial institution), inflating employee counts or payroll figures on a PPP application is a federal offense carrying up to 20 and 30 years respectively, regardless of how the funds were ultimately spent. Georgia federal courts have seen aggressive prosecution of these cases, and the DOJ's COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force continues to pursue them years after the program ended. An experienced federal defense attorney can evaluate whether cooperating early or challenging the government's evidence gives you the strongest path forward.

This is general information only. Contact us for advice specific to your situation.

Prosecutors often stack these charges. You might face wire fraud for the initial application, bank fraud for submitting it to the lender, and false statements for certifying the information was accurate. Each count carries separate penalties even though they all relate to the same conduct. This gives prosecutors enormous leverage during plea negotiations – agree to plead to one count and they’ll dismiss the others.