Ex-Democratic Rep. Cori Bush’s Husband Charged With Fraud For Allegedly Filing False Applications For $20,000 In Covid-Relief Funds

Former Rep. Cori Bush’s (D-Missouri) husband has been charged with two counts of wire fraud for allegedly filing false applications, which helped him collect over $20,000 in government funds.

On March 21, Bush’s husband, Cortney Merritts, was charged in a federal indictment for allegedly filing fraudulent applications with the Small Business Administration in 2020 and 2021 that helped him collect thousands of dollars in government funds under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), according to the DC U.S. Attorney’s Office.

In 2024, Bush, one of the most progressive members of the House, was defeated in the Democratic primary.

U.S. Attorney Edward Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of the Inspector General-Eastern Region, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division announced the indictment.

According to the indictment, the SBA gave Merritts an $8,500 EIDL loan on July 7, 2020, for a moving business he operated, which he called Vetted Couriers—in the application he submitted for Vetted Couriers, the former congresswoman’s husband confirmed that his company had six employees and generated $32,000 in gross revenue between January 30, 2019, and January 30, 2020.

On July 8, 2020, Merritts submitted another application to the SBA for an EIDL loan in the name of a sole proprietorship he labeled “Cortney Merritts.” In this application, he falsely declared that he had a business that employed ten people and generated $53,000 in gross revenue between January 30, 2019, and January 30, 2020. He requested an EIDL loan and advance of no less than $10,000 based on his false claim that he had 10 employees. The SBA denied his effort to obtain more EIDL funds after determining that his July 2020 application was almost identical to the previous one he submitted.

The indictment also asserts that, on April 22, 2021, Merritts applied for a PPP loan in the name of a sole proprietorship he called “Cortney Merritts.” He falsely declared in this application that he created this business in 2020 and that it generated $128,000 in gross income during that year. Based on his representations regarding his gross income, he was given a $20,832 PPP loan. He used the proceeds for his benefit and enjoyment. 

In July 2022, the ex-congresswoman’s husband submitted a loan forgiveness application in which he falsely asserted that this business had 10 employees at the time of the PPP loan and that he spent the $20,832 on payroll costs. Based on his alleged fraudulent representations, the SBA forgave the PPP loan for $20,832 and the $254.03 in interest.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General and the FBI Washington Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rami Sibay are prosecuting it.