U.S. Attorney's Office, Pennsylvania, Eastern, "Head of Consulting Firm Eclipse Capital Partners Agrees to Pay Over $3.2 Million to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Violations Relating to Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program" (Feb. 14, 2025)

Summary

Press release of February 14, 2025 from the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, issued from Philadelphia, announcing that the head of a Pennsylvania consulting firm, Eclipse Capital Partners, LLC, agreed to pay $3,277,486.35 to resolve False Claims Act allegations over misuse of Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds. He applied for and received a loan totaling $1,900,000, representing that the funds would be used solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the pandemic, but allegedly transferred a majority of the proceeds to a personal investment account, inconsistent with the program's regulations. The case was investigated by the SBA Office of Inspector General, and the settled civil claims are allegations only with no determination of liability.

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PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Pennsylvania resident Ronald Hoplamazian has agreed to pay $3,277,486.35 to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by misusing funds received through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”).

Hoplamazian, who runs a Pennsylvania-based consulting firm, Eclipse Capital Partners, LLC, applied for — and received — an EIDL totaling $1,900,000. In applying for the EIDL, Hoplamazian represented that he would use the funds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hoplamazian instead allegedly transferred a majority of the EIDL proceeds to a personal investment account, which is inconsistent with EIDL regulations.

“SBA loaned Hoplamazian almost two million dollars to help his business recover from economic harms caused by the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Hoplamazian instead allegedly used the EIDL proceeds for an entirely different purpose — to make personal investments — a purpose he knew to be inconsistent with the rules of the EIDL program. We will continue working with our partners to hold accountable individuals and businesses who misuse government programs like this.”

“This settlement underscores the SBA Office of Inspector General’s commitment to identifying and holding accountable those who attempt to defraud programs intended to support small businesses,” said Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of SBA OIG’s Eastern Region. “The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program was created to provide financial relief to businesses struggling due to unforeseen circumstances, not for personal enrichment through fraudulent means. SBA OIG will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure these critical funds reach those who truly need them.”

This case was investigated by the SBA Office of Inspector General. It was handled by Deputy Chief Charlene Keller Fullmer, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mansi G. Shah, and Auditor Denis Cooke.

The settled civil claims are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability.

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