Kentucky Pastor Gets 2 Years in Jail for PPP Loan Fraud, Played the Congressional Intervention Card

February 12, 2026

Bob Coleman
Founder & Publisher

Kentucky Pastor Gets 2 Years in Jail for PPP Loan Fraud, Played the Congressional Intervention Card

John Hopkins tried for $1,729,257. He secured $517,000.

After the SBA funds were disbursed, Hopkins promptly converted the fraud into personal expenditures. He conducted numerous transactions exceeding $10,000, using the proceeds to purchase Bitcoin, gamble some away, give some away as gifts, pay personal debt and cover rent.

The fraud carried an additional layer of deception.

In one application, Hopkins represented that he was an independent contractor serving as a pastor in Lexington, KY, and reported revenue for the 12 months preceding the pandemic. Those revenues were falsely and grossly inflated.

Overall, he submitted 10 EIDL applications, one EIDL modification application, and one PPP loan application. Several were filed under the names Hopkins Drywall and Blurock LLC.

When the initial funding fell short, Hopkins played his final card.

Seeking a $352,000 EIDL increase, he sent false statements to two members of Congress, attempting to enlist Congressional intervention to secure the loan modification.

On February 10, U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove sentenced Hopkins to 24 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering.