PROVIDENCE – A Middletown resident is facing charges of making false statements to influence the U.S. Small Business Administration and bank fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Rhode Island announced Tuesday.
Michael C. Moller, 41, is alleged to have filed fraudulent loan applications for more than $4.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans. According to court documents, prosecutors alleged that Moller received nearly $600,000 in PPP loans to pay for employees of Fall River businesses, none of which are incorporated with the Mass. Secretary of State. The loans were allegedly filed in the name of Moller’s father and his girlfriend’s brother.
The USAO also alleged that Moller filed eight fraudulent PPP loan applications, alone or with family members and associates, in the name of his girlfriend’s son, including three nearly identical filings to three different financial institutions that each sought $734,300 in PPP loans, none of which resulted in the disbursement of loans.
Moller was arrested on Sept. 22 by FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation agents. He appeared in U.S. District Court in Providence and was ordered detained.