Madison County Couple Indicted on COVID-19 Program Fraud Charges

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Madison County couple were indicted today for defrauding the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.

A five-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges John D. Scoggins, 43, and Jennifer C. Scoggins, 37, husband and wife, both of Huntsville, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

According to the indictment, between February and June 2021, the Scoggins conspired to defraud the SBA and the United States Government by applying for and/or receiving approximately $1.7 million in fraudulent PPP loans on behalf of four purportedly operational businesses.  The Scoggins submitted loan application containing material misrepresentations and supported by falsified and fraudulent documentation.  The Scoggins used the PPP loan funds for a series of unauthorized purposes, including purchasing a home, taking a family vacation, and plastic surgery. 

 FBI investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan “Jack” Harrington is prosecuting the case. 

Throughout the country, federal, state, and local law enforcement are on high alert to investigate reports of individuals and businesses engaging in a wide range of fraudulent and criminal behavior.  For more information about these scams visit

https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

An indictment contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.