JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — 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’s Office for the Middle District of Florida states.
Marcus Eichelberger, 46, faces four counts of wire fraud tied to Small Business Administration loans issued through the PPP program, federal prosecutors said.
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.
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.
The pair also applied for loan forgiveness, resulting in about $50,000 in losses, the news release states.
Eichelberger faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count if convicted.
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