Profiles · PrincipalsControversial
- Type
- Person
- Role
- Executive
- Programs
- PPP, EIDL
- Updated
The profile
A defendant who pleaded guilty in July 2023 to one count of bank fraud conspiracy in a multi-state PPP and EIDL fraud case in New Jersey. Three years later he remains unsentenced: the date has been reset at least seven times and stood at Aug. 6, 2026 on the July 16, 2026 docket.
Individuals whose conduct was challenged or called into question during or after the pandemic. See sources: DOJ charging release, July 19, 2023
Identity and role
William Ingram was a co-defendant in a bank-fraud conspiracy prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, alongside Eric Rivera, Lisa Smith, Sieff Robert Sargeant, Adrienne Ponzo, James Wessels, and Yasha Barjona.
The scheme and pandemic-relief role
According to the FDIC Office of Inspector General's release and the July 2023 DOJ charging release , Ingram electronically signed fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications as part of the conspiracy, and Adrienne Ponzo and Lisa Smith prepared the applications for his businesses. The releases say Ingram received approximately $551,600 in PPP and EIDL proceeds and paid Eric Rivera kickbacks of approximately 15 percent of the loan amounts, and that Rivera and Smith later introduced him to James Wessels, who prepared fake payroll documents.
Legal status / controversies
- Charged: United States v. Ingram, No. 1:23-cr-00537 (D.N.J.) — bank fraud conspiracy.
- Pleaded guilty: July 5, 2023, to an information charging one count of bank fraud conspiracy, before U.S. District Judge Karen Williams (information and plea agreement; the plea PDF is image-only); released on a $100,000 unsecured bond (docket).
- Forfeiture: consent judgment and order of forfeiture entered with the plea (Dkt. 6, July 5, 2023; our copy is image-only, so the $551,600 money-judgment amount is cited to the docket).
- Not yet sentenced: the docket shows sentencing repeatedly reset, most recently (as of July 16, 2026) to Aug. 6, 2026.
Where they are now (2025–2026)
As of the July 16, 2026 docket, sentencing was set for Aug. 6, 2026; whether it went ahead is not confirmed.
Sources
- FDIC OIG, "Five Individuals Charged in Multi-State COVID-19 Relief Program [Fraud]": https://fdicoig.gov/news/investigations-press-releases/five-individuals-charged-multi-state-covid-19-relief-program local copy
- Case filing (Information, filed July 5, 2023): CRIM NJD 1-23-cr-00537 US v Ingram doc1 INFO 2023-07-05
- DOJ USAO-NJ, "Five Individuals Charged in Multi-State COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud Scheme" (July 19, 2023): 2023 07 19 Five Individuals Charged In Multi State Covid 19 Relief Program Fraud Sc 46964258 (original: justice.gov · stored capture)
- Local archive copy: 2023-07-19 five individuals charged in multi state covid-19-relief program fraud sc 46964258
- DOJ USAO-NJ, "Key Bank Agrees to Pay $7.7 Million to Resolve Branch Manager's Fraud" (Jan. 7, 2026): DOJ 2026 01 07 Keybank 7 7m Fca Settlement (original: justice.gov · stored capture)
- Local archive copy: DOJ 2026-01-07 KeyBank-7.7M FCA settlement
- Indictment naming Ingram as a separately charged co-conspirator (Dkt. 23, United States v. Rivera, Ponzo & Wessels, No. 1:24-cr-00267): gov.uscourts.njd.546706.23.0
- Docket and filings, United States v. Ingram, No. 1:23-cr-00537 (D.N.J.), PACER materials retrieved July 16, 2026: ingram-1-23-cr-00537
- Plea agreement (Dkt. 5): gov.uscourts.njd.514579.5.0
- Consent judgment and orders of forfeiture, $551,600 (Dkt. 6): gov.uscourts.njd.514579.6.0
- Related profile: Lisa Smith
- Related profile: Sieff Robert Sargeant
- Related profile: Yasha Barjona