Madison business owner Eric Upchurch, 36, on Friday was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison for defrauding the federal government of over $400,000 in COVID-19 relief, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
A jury in June found Upchurch guilty of five counts of fraud, six counts of making false statements, and one count of money laundering. All were related to funds his businesses received from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which authorized forgivable loans to business owners affected by the pandemic through the Paycheck Protection Program. Upchurch’s various businesses offered life coaching and business development assistance for racial minorities.
Sentencing guidelines called for 27–46 months of prison time, with U.S. District Judge William Conley noting Upchurch’s lack of a significant criminal record and his efforts to better the community, although federal law called for decades of imprisonment for the crimes.
Upchurch was also ordered to pay $406,211 in restitution and sentenced to three years of supervision following his release from prison.
