Fayetteville Resident Charged in Nearly $1 Million Pandemic Relief Scam

RALEIGH , N.C. – United States Attorney Ellis Boyle announced criminal charges against Ronald Ray Brock II, 50, of Fayetteville, North Carolina. A federal grand jury indicted him for defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of almost $1 million. Brock allegedly carried out a scheme in which he obtained $996,668.50 in PPP loans using the names of three businesses: MedCom Medical Messaging, Inc., Physicians Answering Group Exchange, Inc., and Answer Pronto, Inc. He secured the loans by falsely claiming these companies employed between 14 and 57 people and paid them between $32,000 and $121,000 per month, even though the companies had no real operations, no employees, and no payroll. The indictment alleges that Brock supported these false claims with fabricated tax returns and other falsified documents, and that he obtained duplicate loans for one company by applying through two different participating lenders. It also alleges that Brock made additional false statements to obtain forgiveness for one of the loans with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Brock is charged with six counts of wire fraud involving disaster-related benefits. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison on each count. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-CR-141-D-RN. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.