(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Rudolph Brooks Jr. is the founder of Kingdom Tabernacle of Restoration Ministries in the Washington, D.C. area. But he also has a day job operating an automobile dealership called Cars Direct by Gavawn. Like many small business owners, Pastor Brooks was hit hard by the pandemic and the government-mandated shutdown of his business. He was forced to lay off workers and cease operations. That’s why the government relief offered to small business owners like Brooks was such a blessing. He applied for more than two million dollars worth of forgivable loans and was able to take care of his workers. It’s a truly inspiring story of a man of the cloth finding his way through the storm with a bit of a boost from Uncle Sam. The one problem with this happy tale is that Brooks didn’t have any employees. It turns out that he took the government money and purchased expensive cars and padded his bank account. He’s now been charged with wire fraud and the government
Alleged DC-area pastor charged with fraudulently obtaining $1.5M PPP loan
Alleged DC area pastor charged with fraudulently obtaining $1.5M PPP loan
An alleged DC-area pastor is in trouble – arrested for wire fraud after federal investigators say he filed false tax documents to obtain a $1.5 million dollar Paycheck Protection Program loan.
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - An alleged D.C.-area pastor is in trouble – arrested for wire fraud after federal investigators say he filed false tax documents to obtain a $1.5 million dollar Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.
The Covid19 relief loans, known as PPP loans, became available through the 2020 CARES Act to assist struggling business owners through the pandemic.
By Victor Omondi
According to recently released court filings, a pastor in Washington, D.C. allegedly made fraudulent applications to the Paycheck Protection Program for $3.5 million, received the loans, and used them to buy himself a Tesla, among a number of other personal purchases.
The PPP is a program introduced by the federal government to encourage revenue-losing businesses to keep their workers on payroll amid business closures during the coronavirus pandemic.
Rudolph Brooks Jr. from Maryland and pastor at Kingdom Tabernacle of Restoration used the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act to allegedly acquire a $1.5 million loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office released a statement indicating that Brooks used the loan funds for his own purposes instead, and not as indicated in the application documents.
Feds Say D C Pastor Bought Himself a Tesla After Fraudulently Obtaining $1 5 Million PPP Loan yahoo.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yahoo.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.