Related Federal Cases
Marcelo Federico Torre, a 42-year-old Utah businessman, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for defrauding the COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) out of $628,307 in 2021.
Torre, of Draper, Utah, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and possession of stolen mail on April 10, 2025. In addition to his prison sentence, Torre was given credit for time served and was sentenced to three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $628,307 in restitution and forfeited a money judgment in the same amount.
According to court documents, Torre fraudulently submitted a PPP loan application through U.S. Bank on behalf of his company, Offerworks Inc., between April 27, 2021, and May 5, 2021. He lied to the bank and the U.S. government about his company’s employment and payroll numbers to secure the loan.
Torre’s false statements on the loan application included claiming that Offerworks Inc. had been in operation since February 15, 2020, when it had not, and that his company had 37 employees and an average monthly payroll of $251,323 in 2020. However, the actual numbers were significantly lower.
Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah said, “The amount of money Mr. Torre stole from the U.S. government and taxpayers, which was intended to keep businesses open and provide salaries for employees and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic, is significant and his fraud will not go unpunished.”
The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Draper City Police Department, U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office, Salt Lake City Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Assistant United States Attorney Todd C. Bouton prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Department of Justice has taken action against numerous individuals and organizations who have attempted to exploit the PPP program. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds.
Torre’s sentence serves as a warning to those who seek to take advantage of government programs meant to help honest and hardworking business owners and their employees during a crisis. His actions have caused significant harm to the community and will not be tolerated.
Key Facts
- State: Utah
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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