GASTON COUNTY, N.C. ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — The owner of a popular North Carolina restaurant is on the hook for more than $1.5 million after federal officials say he misused pandemic relief funds.
Bobby Gerald Duncan, owner of Hillbilly’s Barbeque and Steaks, agreed to settle with the government after being accused of wrongfully pocketing $762,000 in COVID-19 aid and using it for personal gain, including buying a FedEx business.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Duncan got money through two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).
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Instead of using the funds to keep his business afloat, he allegedly transferred $100,000 to a personal “vacation account” and later used $750,000 from the restaurant’s account to purchase a FedEx business with a longtime friend, federal authorities said…