A Detroit resident has admitted guilt in a federal court for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme related to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Marc Andrew Martin, aged 46, entered a guilty plea to one count of fraud conspiracy before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy.
The court was informed that between March 2020 and August 2021, Martin conspired with others, including Matthew Parker, to deceive lenders into approving over $14 million in PPP COVID-19 relief loans. Parker, who is a certified public accountant from Detroit, recruited numerous small businesses in Pittsburgh and Detroit and submitted falsified PPP loan applications on their behalf. The Small Business Administration approved 226 such applications resulting in approximately $14.5 million in loans being granted to businesses—marking it as the largest known PPP fraud case within the Western District of Pennsylvania. Martin's role involved referring about $1.9 million worth of fraudulent loan packages to Parker. In May 2024, Parker also pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to this fraud.
Judge Hardy has scheduled Martin’s sentencing for July 10, 2025. He faces a potential sentence of up to 30 years imprisonment or a fine up to $1 million or both under federal law. However, the actual sentence will depend on the severity of the offense and any prior criminal record of the defendant according to federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is leading the prosecution for this case on behalf of the government.
The investigation which resulted in Martin’s prosecution was carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.