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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — A Fayetteville man is facing federal charges in connection with a COVID-19 scheme that led to the theft of nearly $1 million, the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina said Monday.
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According to federal prosecutors, 50-year-old Ronald Ray Brock II is accused of obtaining $996,668 in Paycheck Protection loans using the names of the businesses MedCom Medical Messaging, Inc., Physicians Answering Group Exchange, Inc., and Answer Pronto, Inc.
Brock falsely claimed the three companies had between 14 and 57 people who were paid between $32,000 and $121,000 each month when they actually had no real operations, employees, or payroll, according to federal prosecutors.
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Prosecutors allege Brock used fabricated tax returns and other falsified documents to support his false claims. He allegedly received duplicate loans for one company by applying through two different participating lenders and made more false statement to get forgiveness for one of the loans with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Brock has been indicted by a federal grand injury on six counts of wire fraud involving disaster-related benefits. He faces up to 30 years in prison on each county if convicted, according to federal prosecutors.
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