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Kenneth Wilkerson, 39, Charged with PPP Loan Fraud in Georgia
Atlanta, GA – Kenneth Wilkerson, a 39-year-old Atlanta resident, has been indicted for his role in a massive PPP loan scam that cost taxpayers over $383,000. According to the indictment, Wilkerson submitted at least nine loan applications to financial institutions, authorized lenders, and the Small Business Administration that contained fraudulent information regarding gross revenues and fake employees at his various companies.
Wilkerson allegedly received more than $383,000 from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) that he failed to spend on authorized business purposes. The indictment also charges Wilkerson with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, two counts of bank fraud, eleven counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
“While communities suffered from the effects of the pandemic, the federal government worked to help small businesses and individuals avoid catastrophic economic disaster through the CARES Act,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who illegally obtained these loans and work diligently to recover these funds intended to support struggling business owners and families.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, stated, “No matter how much Wilkerson tried to conceal his money laundering activities behind Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds, this was a drug trafficking operation, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit proceeds.”
Wilkerson allegedly submitted fraudulent tax forms and bank statements to support his loan applications. He also allegedly listed various addresses, including his own, as the applicant’s mailing address, and called the bank associated with the debit cards to activate the cards, request new cards, and make other inquiries.
The indictment also charges Wilkerson with eleven counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, alleging that he submitted fraudulent applications seeking more than $800,000 in PPP and EIDL funds for various, seemingly defunct businesses. Wilkerson is scheduled to appear in court on April 15th to face the charges.
Jeremy Graves, a 38-year-old Atlanta resident, was also charged in a separate case for his role in a massive unemployment insurance scam. Graves allegedly used stolen identification documents to apply for and obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits in multiple states, including Georgia, California, Maryland, and Nevada.
Graves allegedly received over $230,000 in UI benefits to which he was not entitled. He was charged with 11 counts of wire fraud, eight counts of aggravated identity theft, and seven counts of theft of government funds.
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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