Andrew Marnell PPP fraud case — U.S. District Court, C.D. Cal.

Case summary

Andrew Marnell was prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, No. 2:20-cr-00319, over Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications. The government's sentencing memorandum states that he submitted PPP applications exceeding $10,000,000 for companies it describes as fake, that lenders funded nearly $9,000,000, and that of $320,000 in EIDL requests $170,000 was funded. Marnell pleaded guilty on September 14, 2021 to one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering. On July 10, 2023 the court sentenced him to 79 months' imprisonment, consisting of 79 months on each count concurrently, with supervised release of five years on count 1 and three years on count 2, concurrent. A restitution order entered November 3, 2023 requires payment of $5,627,076.33.

Case at a glance

What was Marnell sentenced to?

79 months, consisting of 79 months on count 1 and 79 months on count 2 to be served concurrently, followed by supervised release of five years on count 1 and three years on count 2, served concurrently.

What was Marnell charged with?

One count of bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(2) and one count of money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957, to which he pleaded guilty under a plea agreement on September 14, 2021.

How much was involved?

The government's sentencing memorandum puts PPP applications above $10,000,000 with nearly $9,000,000 funded, plus $320,000 in EIDL requests of which $170,000 was funded. Restitution was set at $5,627,076.33 after seizures and claw-backs.

Summary written from the documents on this page; every sentence is sourced.