Can I Get 30 Years in Prison for PPP Loan Fraud? The Terrifying Maximum Sentence!

Can I Get 30 Years in Prison for PPP Loan Fraud? The Terrifying Maximum Sentence!

So your probably laying awake at night terrified after hearing someone say PPP fraud can get you 30 years in federal prison.

Maybe you think that’s just for million-dollar frauds or violent criminals.

Or maybe your hoping that’s just a scare tactic prosecutors use but never actually happens.

Look, we get it.

Your desperately trying to convince yourself that 30 years is impossible for your situation.

But here’s the horrifying truth – YES, you absolutely CAN get 30 YEARS in federal prison for PPP loan fraud!

30 YEARS!

And the laws? There specifically written to make that possible!

Is 30 Years Really the Maximum for PPP Fraud?

YES!

30 years is absolutely real. And absolutely possible!

Multiple federal statutes that apply to PPP fraud carry 30-year maximum sentences.

Bank fraud under 18 USC §1344?

That’s up to 30 YEARS in federal prison!

Making false statements to a financial institution under 18 USC §1014?

Another 30 YEARS!

Wire fraud related to a presidentially declared disaster?

30 YEARS again!

Again!

And here’s what’s really terrifying – COVID-19 was declared a presidentially declared major disaster and emergency!

That means your PPP fraud automatically qualifies for the enhanced 30-year maximum under the wire fraud statute.

Automatically!

The government doesn’t have to prove anything extra – the pandemic declaration alone triggers the 30-year maximum!

Think about what 30 years means.

Really think about it.

If your 40 years old now? You’d be 70 when you get out.

Your kids? Middle-aged.
Your parents? Probably dead.
Your entire life? Gone.

Three decades behind bars.

For filling out false paperwork.

Its an incomprehensible amount of time. Destroys not just your life but everyone connected to you!

Which PPP Fraud Charges Carry 30 Years?

Multiple charges related to PPP fraud carry the 30-year maximum.

And prosecutors LOVE stacking them!

Love it!

Bank fraud is the big one – if you submitted your PPP application to any FDIC-insured bank?

(Which is basically every bank.)

That’s bank fraud with a 30-year maximum.

Did it electronically?

Now its also wire fraud.

Another 30 years!

Making false statements to the SBA or any financial institution? That’s 30 years under Section 1014. And here’s the kicker – EACH false statement is a separate charge! Lied about employee count? That’s one 30-year charge. Inflated payroll? Another 30 years. Fake tax documents? Another 30 years. They can charge you with multiple 30-year counts for ONE loan application!

Even worse, these sentences can run CONSECUTIVELY! If your convicted of three counts of bank fraud, that’s potentially 90 years! Obviously judges rarely max out sentences, but the threat of multiple 30-year charges is what prosecutors use to force guilty pleas. Would you risk trial when your facing potentially 90 years versus taking a plea for 5 years?

Does Anyone Actually Get 30 Years for PPP Fraud?

While most people don’t get the full 30 years, the threat is very real and some people are getting decades! Just this year, a man in Georgia was convicted of $9.6 million in PPP fraud – he’s facing up to 170 years because of multiple charges! Another defendant got hit with charges carrying 200+ years in maximum penalties!

We’re seeing actual sentences of 10, 15, even 20+ years for large PPP frauds. A woman who stole $2 million could have gotten 30 years – she took a plea and “only” got 41 months. But that’s still over 3 years in federal prison! And that was WITH a plea deal. Had she gone to trial and lost? She could’ve gotten 10-15 years easily!

The Department of Justice has explicitly stated they want harsh sentences for pandemic fraud to “send a message.” Prosecutors are asking for sentences at or above guidelines. Judges are going along with it. The 30-year maximum gives them room to impose devastating sentences even if they don’t max out!

What Makes the 30-Year Maximum More Likely?

Certain factors make judges more likely to impose sentences closer to that 30-year maximum. Large dollar amounts are the biggest factor – steal over $3.5 million and the guidelines alone recommend 8-10 years, but judges can go way above that. Multiple victims, sophisticated schemes, using fake identities – all these push sentences higher.

Leadership of a fraud ring? That adds 4 levels to your sentence calculation. Sophisticated means like shell companies? Add 2 more levels. Obstruction of justice by destroying evidence? Another 2 levels. Ten or more victims? 2 more levels. These enhancements can double or triple your recommended sentence range!

But here’s what really triggers harsh sentences – spending the money on luxury items! Judges HATE when PPP fraudsters buy Lamborghinis, Rolexes, and mansions. We’ve seen judges explicitly say they’re imposing longer sentences because of “grotesque” spending. One judge gave an extra 5 years specifically because the defendant bought a yacht with PPP money!

Can First-Time Offenders Get 30 Years?

Don’t think your clean record protects you from decades in prison! Federal law doesn’t give automatic breaks to first-time offenders. The statutes say “UP TO 30 years” regardless of criminal history. A first-time offender who commits serious PPP fraud can absolutely get 10, 15, even 20+ years!

In fact, judges sometimes give HARSHER sentences to first-time offenders in white-collar crimes! There reasoning? “You had every advantage in life, no criminal record, and you still chose to steal from taxpayers during a pandemic.” We’ve seen successful business owners with zero criminal history get 8-10 year sentences for PPP fraud!

The federal sentencing guidelines do consider criminal history, but the loss amount matters more. A first-timer who stole $10 million faces a higher guidelines range than a repeat offender who stole $100,000. And with PPP fraud, judges are frequently going ABOVE the guidelines anyway!

What About Consecutive Sentences?

Here’s the nightmare scenario that could actually get you 30+ years: consecutive sentences! If your convicted of multiple charges, the judge can make you serve them one after another instead of at the same time. Three 10-year sentences served consecutively equals 30 years!

The U.S. Sentencing Commission generally recommends concurrent sentences, but judges have discretion. And with PPP fraud, we’re seeing more consecutive sentences because judges want to “send a message.” They’re literally using defendants as examples to scare other fraudsters!

We had a client facing 5 charges with 150 years total maximum. The prosecutor offered 8 years if he pled guilty. He refused, went to trial, lost, and got 22 years with partially consecutive sentences. The judge said “you had your chance for mercy and rejected it.” That’s the reality of risking trial when 30-year maximums are in play!

Can Enhancements Push Me Toward 30 Years?

Sentencing enhancements are how people end up with shocking sentences way above what they expected. The guidelines start with a base level based on loss amount, then add “enhancements” that increase the recommended sentence. And PPP fraud cases often involve multiple enhancements!

Used fake documents? +2 levels. Had a leadership role? +4 levels. Abused a position of trust? +2 levels. Obstructed justice? +2 levels. Targeted vulnerable victims? +2 levels. Before you know it, your guidelines range went from 3-5 years to 10-15 years! And if the judge decides to vary upward from there? You could be approaching that 30-year maximum!

The worst enhancement is “sophisticated means” because almost every PPP fraud involves it. Created fake tax forms? Sophisticated. Used multiple banks? Sophisticated. Made a fake website? Sophisticated. This +2 enhancement alone can add YEARS to your sentence, pushing you closer to that terrifying 30-year maximum!

What Reduces the Risk of 30 Years?

The ONLY things that significantly reduce your risk of decades in prison are immediate cooperation and excellent legal representation. Taking responsibility early, helping recover funds, providing information about co-conspirators – these can cut sentences dramatically. But you need to act FAST before others cooperate first!

Pleading guilty typically reduces sentences by 25-35% from what you’d get at trial. But here’s the catch – you have to plead early! Wait until the eve of trial? Minimal reduction. Wait until after guilty verdict? NO reduction. The government rewards early acceptance of responsibility and punishes those who “waste resources” on trials.

The biggest factor is your attorney. Federal sentencing is incredibly complex with hundreds of variables. The difference between a good federal defense attorney and an average one could literally be 10+ years of your life. We’ve seen identical cases with vastly different outcomes based solely on the quality of representation!

Is 30 Years More Likely Now Than Before?

YES! Sentences for PPP fraud are getting LONGER every month! In 2021-2022, judges showed some mercy. Now in 2025? They’re hammering people! The DOJ has made pandemic fraud a top priority. Public anger remains high. Media coverage of luxury purchases keeps people furious. All of this pushes judges toward harsher sentences!

The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee publishes every sentence, creating pressure on judges to be tough. No judge wants to be the one who gave a “lenient” sentence that makes headlines. So they keep pushing sentences higher, closer to those maximums, to avoid criticism!

We’re literally seeing sentences increase 40% year-over-year for the same conduct! What got you 3 years in 2022 might get you 5 years today. What got you 5 years might get you 8-10 years now. And major frauds that might have gotten 10 years? Now pushing 15-20 years. The trend is clear – toward those maximum sentences!

WARNING: Multiple PPP fraud charges carry 30 YEAR MAXIMUMS!
Sentences are getting LONGER every month as judges get tougher!
Call 212-300-5196 IMMEDIATELY before you face decades in prison!

Listen, we’re not using “30 years” as a scare tactic – its the actual statutory maximum your facing! Bank fraud, wire fraud, false statements – they all carry 30-year maximums. Prosecutors charge multiple counts that could theoretically add up to centuries. While most people don’t get the full 30, many are getting 10, 15, even 20+ years!

The factors that push sentences higher – large amounts, fake documents, luxury spending, going to trial – are present in many PPP fraud cases. First-time offenders aren’t protected. Sentences are getting longer every month. Judges are going above guidelines. The risk of decades in prison is very real and getting worse!

Your only protection is immediate action with experienced federal defense counsel who knows how to navigate away from those maximum sentences. The difference between acting now versus after indictment could be 20 years of your life. Don’t gamble with decades of your freedom. Call us immediately at 212-300-5196 and let us fight to keep you from spending 30 years in federal prison!