A Jackson County businessman has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with orchestrating a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $80,000 in loans during the COVID-19 pandemic, alleging submitting one fraudulent loan application himself and directing other individuals working under him to do the same.
John J. Pilger, 80, was charged in a bill of information with two counts of bank fraud in connection with the scheme to obtain fraudulent loans from two banks, one in Gulfport and the other in Ocean Springs, according to a bill of information charging him with the crimes.
Pilger owns Amstar Investments, Inc., which is a described as a real estate investment and development company in Coastal Mississippi, primarily operating in Ocean Springs, Biloxi and Jackson County, his attorney, Tim Holleman said…