JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A former Jacksonville church pastor has been indicted on federal wire fraud charges tied to an alleged scheme involving COVID-era small business relief funds, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors say Marcus Eichelberger, 46, faces four counts of wire fraud related to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans issued through the Small Business Administration. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.
According to the indictment, Eichelberger allegedly worked with another individual between March 2021 and February 2022 to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications for businesses that were not eligible to receive the funds. The applications reportedly certified that the money would be used for payroll and legitimate business expenses…