Sailor Gets 18 Months in Jail for $1 Million PPP Loan Fraud

“Mark Haley exploited a worldwide epidemic to enrich himself through fraud,” says U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “This was a prolonged and opportunistic scheme motivated by sheer greed that only ended when the program meant to help businesses survive the pandemic itself ended. The Department of Justice and my office will continue to pursue those, like Mr. Haley, who attempted to capitalize on an unprecedented crisis.”

The Maine resident filed fraudulent documents including false federal employment tax returns, fake timesheets and falsified bank records. 

Mark used some of the funds he obtained to make a down payment on a sailboat, which he then claimed was itself a functioning business with multiple employees in an attempt to steal additional PPP funds. 

Over an 11-month span, Mark submitted 12 fraudulent applications to three lenders, each with phony supporting documentation. 

In total, he attempted to steal nearly $1.5 million and succeeded in obtaining $1,010,581.