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Michigan man sentenced for COVID-19 relief fraud

Man sentenced to 32 months in prison for fraudulently seeking nearly $1 million in PPP loans

(iStock/junial)

MICHIGAN – On Tuesday, a Michigan man was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison for fraudulently seeking nearly $1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Michael Bischoff, 60, of Macomb County, pleaded guilty to bank fraud on Nov. 23, 2020 in the Eastern District of Michigan.

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According to court documents, Bischoff, who owned multiple pizza restaurants in Macomb County, admitted to defrauding several financial institutions by submitting at least nine falsified PPP loan applications that included false representations about payroll, business expenses, and the number of employees working at his restaurants.

To help secure the PPP loans, Bischoff also submitted multiple fabricated tax documents and fraudulently used another person’s personal identifying information.

In total, Bischoff fraudulently sought about $931,000 in COVID-19 relief funds and received around $593,590. In addition to his prison sentence, Bischoff was ordered to serve three years of supervised release, and to pay $593,590 in restitution and a $5,000 fine.

Read more: Metro Detroit crime news


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