Edison Man Pleads Guilty To $1.3M COVID Fraud Charge

EDISON, NJ — An Edison resident who was charged for fraudulently obtaining $1.3 million in COVID-19 related loans, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said.

Jordan C. Larkins, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count bank fraud, and one count of money laundering, Sellinger said.

Larkins submitted three fraudulent PPP loan applications to three different lenders and 11 EIDL applications to SBA on behalf of numerous purported businesses from May 2020 through July 2020, according to court documents and statements.

The loans were designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investigators said Larkins made false representations to participating lenders and the SBA, including fake federal tax return documentation for his purported businesses and fake bank statements.

He also fabricated the identities of certain people listed as applicants and the corresponding driver’s licenses of those purported applicants.

Larkins obtained approximately $1.6 million in PPP and EIDL funds which he then misused by making a series of cash withdrawals, transferring funds to foreign banks, and for various other personal expenses, authorities said.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 21.

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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.

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