Criminal Defense Lawyers

Mississippi PPP Loan Fraud Lawyers: Federal Defense in Jackson

Mississippi PPP Loan Fraud Lawyers: Federal Defense in Jackson

The FBI knocked on your door this morning. Or maybe you got a letter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Jackson. Your PPP loan was from 2020—five years ago. You thought this was over.

It’s not. Your facing federal charges irregardless of how much time has passed, and the goverment doesn’t care that you thought you were safe. There investigation is just getting started, and your sitting there at 2am searching for answers because your probly terrified. This article explains exactly why 2020 PPP loans are being prosecuted in 2025, what happens next, your three options, and why Mississippi’s two seperate federal districts determine your fate.

Why Your 2020 PPP Loan Is Being Investigated in 2025 – The 10-Year Statute Trap

Look, here’s the deal. You probably thought the statute of limitations was five years. That’s what everyone beleived, and for alot of federal crimes, that’s correct. But in August 2022, President Biden signed the PPP and Bank Fraud Enforcement Harmonization Act, which extended the statute of limitations to 10 years for PPP loan fraud. This means the goverment has until 2030 or 2031 to prosecute loans from 2020-2021. Your not safe just because its been five years.

Here’s what nobody tells you—the statute extension applies retroactively. Every PPP loan from 2020-2021 is now subject to this longer timeline, irregardless of when you recieved it. The DOJ knows this, and there actually ramping up investigations right now because they have more then enough time to build cases. Based off what we’re seeing in Mississippi federal courts, 2025 is peak prosecution year for PPP fraud.

The IRS is also involved now. There cross-referencing loan forgiveness data with tax returns. If you had a PPP loan forgiven and recieved a 1099-C form, the IRS computers is matching that against you’re 2019-2020 tax returns. If your buisness income on those returns doesn’t support the loan amount you claimed, that’s an automatic fraud referral to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This cross-database checking occured throughout 2024 and is accelerating in 2025.

According to a GAO report from April 2025, the SBA Inspector General estimates thousands of investigations are still ongoing. The investigations isn’t slowing down—there actually speeding up.

Because the law changed.

And if you thought you were in th clear, you need to understand that the goverment has barely scratched the surface of PPP fraud cases they plan to prosecute.

Mississippi’s Two Federal Districts – Why Your Location Determines Everything

Here’s the thing—Mississippi has two seperate federal court systems, and which one handles you’re case can make a huge diffrence in your outcome. Most people don’t realize this, but its kinda critical to understanding your situation.

The Southern District of Mississippi covers Jackson, Gulfport, and Hattiesburg. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is located at 501 East Court Street in Jackson. Judge Daniel P. Jordan III is one of the main federal judges in this district, and he’s known for being strict on white-collar sentencing. If your case gets filed in the Southern District, your facing a tougher sentencing environment then if you was in the Northern District.

The Northern District covers Oxford, Aberdeen, Greenville, and the Delta region. Judge Sharion Aycock in the Northern District is supposably more receptive to cooperation agreements and has a reputation for being more reasonable with first-time offenders. If you’re buisness is located near the Tennessee border—like DeSoto County—there might be some flexibility in where your case gets filed. An experienced attorney who practices in both districts can sometimes influence this.

This matters alot more then you might think. Different judges have different sentencing patterns. Different juries come from different communities. A Jackson jury has seen alot of federal fraud cases. A jury in the Delta might be more sympathetic to a small buisness owner who made mistakes during COVID. These geographic factors affect the outcome, and no one talks about this in generic PPP articles.

Mississippi juries are also different then juries in New York or California. People here understand what small buisness owners went through during COVID. There more likely to see the desperation that led to cutting corners on a loan application. This doesn’t mean you’ll definitely be acquitted, but it changes the risk calculation when your deciding whether to take a plea deal or go to trial. Your attorney needs to understand Mississippi legal culture, not just federal law.

The Three Charges You’re Actually Facing (And What They Mean)

When you get that target letter from the U.S. Attorney, its gonna list a bunch of scary numbers: 18 USC 1343, 18 USC 1001, maybe 18 USC 371. Let me break down what prosecutors is actually accusing you of and what each charge means for you’re situation.

18 USC 1343 – Wire Fraud. This is the big one. Wire fraud carries up to 20 years in federal prison per count. The goverment has to prove that you knowingly participated in a scheme to defraud and that you used wire communications (email, electronic bank transfers, faxes) to execute the fraud. Every email you sent to the bank, every electronic submission of documents—prosecutors can charge each one as a seperate count of wire fraud. This is how they stack charges to pressure you into a plea deal.

To prove wire fraud, prosecutors doesn’t need to show you personally benefited or that you intended to harm anyone. They just need to prove you made false statements with the intent to obtain money based off those false statements. If you inflated your employee count, overstated payroll expenses, or claimed a buisness that didn’t exist, that’s enough. The statue of limitations for wire fraud used to be five years but is now 10 years because of the 2022 law.

18 USC 1001 – False Statements. This one is simpler but still serious. It carries up to 5 years in prison per count. If you made materially false statements on your PPP loan application—about employee numbers, payroll costs, buisness operations, anything—that’s a violation of 18 USC 1001. Prosecutors love this charge because its easy to prove. They just need to show: (1) you made a statement, (2) it was false, (3) it was material (important enough to effect the decision), and (4) you knew it was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

“Material” means the false statement was important enough that it could of effected whether the SBA approved you’re loan. Between you and I, almost any false statement on a loan application is gonna be considered material. The amount doesn’t matter as much as the fact that you lied. Even a small exaggeration can support a false statements charge if prosecutors thinks its significant enough.

18 USC 371 – Conspiracy. If more then one person was involved in obtaining you’re PPP loan, prosecutors might charge conspiracy. This carries up to 5 years. Conspiracy is actually easier to prove then the underlying fraud because the goverment only needs to show: (1) an agreement between two or more people, (2) to commit a crime, and (3) at least one overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy. That “overt act” can be something completely legal, like opening a bank account or filing paperwork. The conspiracy doesn’t have to be successful for you to be convicted.

Mississippi state charges are also possible. Under MS Code § 97-19-85, fraud involving more then $1,000 is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in state prison. Is fraud a felony in Mississippi? Yes, definately, and the state can prosecute you even if the feds do. This is called dual sovereignty, and its perfectly legal. Most of the time, federal prosecutors take the lead and state charges is held in reserve, but you’re attorney needs to coordinate with both offices.

Bottom line: Wire fraud is the most serious charge, false statements is the easiest to prove, and conspiracy lets prosecutors rope in everyone involved. The penalties is severe, and prosecutors doesn’t have to choose just one charge—they can stack all three and threaten you with decades in prison to force a plea bargain. This is how th federal system works, irregardless of whether you think its fair.

You Have Three Options – And 72 Hours to Decide

Look, I’m gonna be honest with you. Your facing one of the most stressful decisions of you’re life, and you don’t have alot of time to make it. Real talk: once you get that target letter or the FBI shows up at your door, you’ve got maybe 72 hours to decide your strategy before your options start to evaporate. Here’s what nobody tells you—pre-indictment cooperation is worth way more then post-indictment cooperation. If you wait untill after your indicted to cooperate, the value of your cooperation to prosecutors has already dropped significantly.

You’re three options are: (1) cooperate with the goverment immediately, (2) negotiate pre-indictment to avoid charges altogether, or (3) fight the case and go to trial. Each option has different costs, different risks, and different outcomes.

And here’s the worst part. You gotta decide fast becuase every day you wait is a day of lost leverage.

Option 1: Immediate Cooperation. This means you call a federal defense attorney right now—not tommorow, not next week, right now—and you arrange a proffer session with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A proffer is basically a meeting where you and you’re attorney sit down with prosecutors and tell them everything you know. Its sometimes called a “Queen for a Day” agreement becuase what you say in the proffer generally can’t be used against you directly (though it can be used to find other evidence).

If you cooperate early, before the goverment has fully built its case, your providing value. Prosecutors wants to know: Who else was involved? Who helped you prepare the application? Did you help others get loans? Where did the money go? If you can give them information that leads to other prosecutions, they might offer you a cooperation agreement under Federal Sentencing Guidelines §5K1.1, which can reduce your sentence from years in prison to maybe probation or home confinement.

But there’s risks. If you proffer and admit to things the goverment didn’t know about, you’ve just made there case stronger. If you lie during the proffer, that’s another crime (obstruction of justice). And if you cooperate and then back out, everything you said can be used against you. Your attorney needs to be in the room with you, period. Don’t do this alone, irregardless of what the FBI agents tell you. They’ll say things like “we just want to hear you’re side” or “it’ll be worse if you don’t talk to us.” That’s a lie. Ain’t nothing gonna get better by talking to federal agents without a lawyer present.

Option 2: Pre-Indictment Negotiation. This is where you’re attorney reaches out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office before charges are filed and tries to convince them not to prosecute. This works best when: (1) the loan amount was relatively small (under $150,000), (2) you relied on a licensed accountant or attorney to prepare the application, (3) the loan money actually went to legitimate buisness expenses, and (4) you’re willing to repay the loan amount.

For all intensive purposes, pre-indictment negotiation is about convincing prosecutors that your case doesn’t meet there threshold for criminal prosecution. Maybe it should be a civil penalty instead. Maybe it was an honest mistake based off bad advice from your accountant. Maybe you didn’t have the criminal intent neccessary for wire fraud. An experienced federal defense attorney who knows the prosecutors in the Southern District or Northern District can sometimes get charges declined or reduced before indictment.

The key is timing. Once you’re indicted, its to late for this strategy. The indictment itself creates momentum toward trial or plea. Pre-indictment is when prosecutors still have flexibility and discretion. But you need an attorney who has credibility with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who can present your case persuasively, and who can negotiate from a position of knowledge about what federal prosecutors is looking for.

Option 3: Fight the Case. This means you go to trial and make the goverment prove every element of there case beyond a reasonable doubt. In theory, your innocent until proven guilty. In practice, the federal conviction rate is about 97%. That’s not a typo. Ninety-seven percent of federal criminal defendants who go to trial are convicted. The goverment doesn’t bring charges unless there pretty confident they can win.

So when does fighting make sense? When you’re actually innocent. When the goverment has the wrong person. When you relied on a licensed CPA who prepared everything and you had no reason to believe anything on the application was false. When you can prove lack of criminal intent becuase you genuinely didn’t know there was anything wrong with the information submitted. These are real defenses, and if your case fits one of these scenarios, trial might be you’re best option.

But understand the risks. If you go to trial and loose, the sentence is gonna be worse then if you’d taken a plea deal. Judges punish defendants for “putting the goverment through the expense of a trial.” It’s called the trial penalty, and its real. You might be facing 36 months on a plea deal but 60 months if you go to trial and get convicted. Your attorney needs to give you a realistic assessment of your trial prospects based off the evidence, not based off what you wanna hear.

Here’s the thing—you gotta make this decision fast. I mean, you was probably just served with a target letter or just had the FBI at your door, and now I’m telling you that you need to decide your entire legal strategy in the next few days. That’s the reality. The cooperation window closes quick. Once other witnesses have been interviewed, once co-defendants have started cooperating, once the investigation is substantially complete, your cooperation is worth less. Way less.

If you do nothing—if you just sit there hoping this goes away—you’re choosing the worst possible option. The goverment isn’t gonna forget about you. There not gonna loose you’re file. There gonna indict you, and you’ll have lost any chance at pre-indictment resolution or maximum cooperation credit. Don’t make that mistake. Your facing this, wether you acknowledge it or not. The choice is whether you face it strategically with an attorney, or whether you face it alone and unprepared.

And look, I know this is overwhelming. I’ve seen it happen. People freeze up when there facing federal charges becuase its so much scarier then anything they’ve experienced before. You can’t hardly breathe. You didn’t do nothing intentionally wrong—at least that’s how it feels—and now you’re facing twenty years in prison. It don’t seem real. But it is. And every hour you spend in denial is an hour of lost opportunity to protect yourself.

Call a Mississippi federal defense attorney who understands PPP cases. Not just any criminal lawyer—someone who knows 18 USC 1343 wire fraud, 18 USC 1001 false statements, and 18 USC 371 conspiracy inside and out. Someone who has relationships with the prosecutors in the Southern District or Northern District. Someone who can arrange a proffer session within 72 hours if that’s the strategy you choose. Trust me on this—the decision you make in the next few days determines whether you’re facing probation or years in federal prison. Mute point whether you think its fair. This is how the system works.

What Loan Forgiveness Actually Means for Your Sentencing

So the SBA forgave you’re PPP loan. You probly thought that was good news, right? You don’t have to pay it back. The goverment said the loan was forgivable if you used it for payroll and other approved expenses, and they forgave it. Case closed.

Except here’s what they don’t tell you: loan forgiveness makes your sentencing exposure worse, not better.

Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines §2B1.1, the primary factor in determining you’re sentence for fraud is the “loss amount.” Loss amount means how much money the victim actually lost. If you obtained a $200,000 PPP loan and it was forgiven, the loss amount is $200,000. The SBA didn’t get any of that money back. The Treasury Department—which funded the PPP program—lost the entire amount. That’s the number the judge uses to calculate your sentence.

Compare that to someone who got a $200,000 loan but only had $150,000 forgiven becuase they paid back $50,000. There loss amount is $150,000, not $200,000. Or someone who’s loan wasn’t forgiven at all and who has been making payments. If they still owe $100,000 on a $200,000 loan, the loss amount might be calculated as only what they actually spent or kept. The affect of forgiveness is that it maximizes the loss amount, which directly effects your sentencing level.

Here’s how it works. The sentencing guidelines assign “levels” based off loss amount. Fraud involving $150,000 to $250,000 adds 14 levels to your base offense level. Fraud involving $250,000 to $550,000 adds 16 levels. Each additional level increases your recommended prison time. The diffrence between 14 levels and 16 levels could be the diffrence between 37-46 months in prison versus 51-63 months. That’s a huge diffrence, and its based almost entirely on the dollar amount of the loss.

So if your PPP loan was $180,000 and it was fully forgiven, your looking at a 14-level enhancement (assuming no other enhancements for things like sophisticated means or role in the offense). If your loan was $260,000 and forgiven, that’s a 16-level enhancement. Judges doesn’t have much discretion here. The guidelines is pretty strict about the math.

Prosecutors love loan forgiveness for another reason: its proof you got away with the money. In fraud cases, the goverment has to prove not just that you made false statements, but that you obtained something of value based off those false statements. Loan forgiveness is there evidence that you successfully obtained money you wasn’t entitled to and that you didn’t have to pay it back. Its the completed fraud. Visa versa, if you hadn’t applied for forgiveness or if forgiveness was denied, prosecutors might have a harder time proving the full loss amount.

This is one of those counterintuitive things about federal criminal law that catches people off gaurd. You thought forgiveness was the goal. You jumped through all the SBA’s hoops, submitted the right forms, showed how you spent the money on payroll or rent or utilities, and the SBA said “approved.” You thought that meant everything was legitimate. But the goverment can forgive the loan and then still prosecute you for fraud if they determine the original application contained false statements. Forgivness doesn’t mean exoneration. It just means they haven’t caught you yet.

If your in this situation—loan forgiven, now under investigation—your attorney needs to focus on minimizing the apparent loss amount. Maybe some of the loan money was used for legitimate purposes. Maybe the overstated payroll figures wasn’t as inflated as prosecutors thinks. Maybe there’s mitigation arguments that reduce your culpability even if the loss amount stays high. But don’t go into this thinking that loan forgiveness helps you. It doesn’t. It makes the prosecutor’s case easier and your sentence potentially worse then if the loan had never been forgiven. Take that for granite.

The Accountant Defense – When It Works and When It Doesn’t

One of the most common defenses in PPP fraud cases is, “I relied on my accountant to fill out the application. I didn’t know there was anything false on it.” This defense can work, but it depends entirely on who you’re accountant was and what role they played. Let me explain the crucial distinction that determines whether this defense saves you or gets you convicted with an even harsher sentence.

If a licensed CPA prepared your PPP loan application, and you provided them with accurate information to the best of your knowledge, and you had no reason to believe they would submit false information, that’s a viable lack-of-intent defense. Federal prosecutors has to prove you knowingly participated in fraud. If you genuinely relied on a licensed professional whose advice you’re entitled to trust, you might be able to argue you didn’t have the criminal intent neccessary for wire fraud or false statements.

This defense works best when: (1) you hired a reputable accounting firm or CPA, (2) you gave them you’re actual payroll records and financial documents, (3) you signed the application without carefully reviewing every detail becuase you trusted there expertise, and (4) you can show you had no motive to defraud becuase you’re buisness genuinely needed the money for legitimate purposes. Truth be told, if you can establish all of these facts, prosecutors might decline to charge you or a jury might acquit you.

But here’s where it falls apart. If you used an unlicensed “PPP loan specialist” or “loan consultant” who you found on Facebook or through a friend, and who charged you a percentage of the loan amount to help you get approved, that’s not reliance on a professional—that’s willful blindness. Federal prosecutors will argue you knew or should of known that someone promising to get you approved for a loan you didn’t qualify for was probly submitting false information. Using an unlicensed broker who’s charging you 10-20% of the loan amount is evidence of fraud, not evidence of innocence.

The “willful blindness” doctrine means you can’t avoid criminal liability just by deliberately ignoring red flags. If you’re “accountant” wasn’t actually an accountant—if he was just some guy who specialized in getting PPP loans approved—and if he told you things like “don’t worry about the details, I’ll handle everything,” you was on notice that something might be wrong. A jury is gonna hear that and think, “You knew. You just didn’t want to know the specifics.”

There’s also the question of who signed the application. PPP loan applications required a certification that all the information was true and correct. If you signed that certification, your legally responsible for its accuracy irregardless of who prepared it. Prosecutors will argue: “You signed under penalty of perjury. You certified the truth of the statements. You can’t now claim you didn’t know what you was signing.”

The best version of the accountant defense goes like this: “I hired Smith & Jones CPA, a reputable accounting firm in Jackson. I gave them all of my 2019 payroll records, tax returns, and financial statements. They prepared the PPP application based off those records. I reviewed the application briefly but relied on there expertise for the technical details. I signed it believing it was accurate. I had no reason to think they would falsify anything, and I didn’t benefit from any false statements becuase my buisness actually had the payroll expenses claimed.” Plain and simple, if you can tell that story credibly, you might beat the charges.

The worst version goes like this: “I paid a guy named Bobby $5,000 to help me get a PPP loan. He said he specializes in this and could get me approved even though my 2019 tax returns showed lower income then what we put on the application. He told me to leave the details to him. I signed whatever he gave me becuase I needed the money for my buisness.” Him and you both knew something was wrong with that situation. That’s not reliance on a professional—that’s conspiracy to commit fraud.

At the end of the day, the accountant defense depends on the credibility of the professional you hired amd the reasonableness of your reliance on them. Licensed CPA who prepares your taxes and knows your buisness: reasonable reliance. Unlicensed “loan consultant” who promises results and charges a percentage fee: willful blindness. Your attorney needs to assess which category you fall into and structure the defense accordingly.

Not always easy, but its the diffrence between acquittal and conviction.

Mississippi State Charges – The Double-Jeopardy Trap You Don’t Know About

Federal charges ain’t the only thing you need to worry about. Mississippi state prosecutors can also charge you under MS Code § 97-19-85, which makes fraud involving more then $1,000 a felony punishable by up to 20 years in state prison. And here’s the kicker: the state can prosecute you even if the federal goverment does. This is called the “dual sovereignty doctrine,” and the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld it multiple times. Your not protected by double jeopardy becuase the federal goverment and the state goverment are seperate sovereigns.

In practice, what usually happens is the federal prosecutors take the lead. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District or Northern District files charges first, and the state holds off. But the state charges is always there in the background as leverage. If you don’t cooperate with the feds, if you demand a trial, if you’re being difficult, prosecutors can threaten to have the state file charges to. Now you’re facing two seperate prosecutions in two seperate court systems for the same conduct.

The good news is that an experienced Mississippi federal defense attorney can coordinate with both the U.S. Attorney and the local District Attorney to negotiate a global resolution. This means you plead guilty in federal court, and as part of the plea agreement, the state agrees not to prosecute or to run any state sentence concurrent with the federal sentence. This kind of coordination happens all the time, but it requires an attorney who has relationships with both offices and who understands how to structure a deal that satisfies everyone.

If your case is in Hinds County (Jackson) or Rankin County, the local DA’s office is gonna be aware of your federal case. There probably not gonna file state charges unless the federal case falls apart or unless there’s some reason the feds can’t proceed. But the threat is real. I’ve seen cases where a defendant fought the federal charges and then, after acquittal or dismissal, the state filed charges based off the same conduct. Double jeopardy doesn’t protect you from that.

Mississippi fraud law is also broader then federal law in some ways. The state statute covers a wider range of conduct, and the penalties is severe. If the fraud involves more then $25,000, its a felony with up to 20 years. That’s on par with federal wire fraud. So even if you dodge the federal charges somehow, the state can still wreck havoc on your life.

The strategy here is to make sure your attorney is thinking about both the federal and state angles form the beginning. When negotiating a federal plea deal, include language that the state will decline prosecution or that sentences will run concurrent. When preparing a defense for trial, consider how the same evidence might be used in state court. Don’t assume the federal case is the only thing you need to worry about. Irregardless of what happens federally, Mississippi state law gives prosecutors another bite at the apple if they want it.

Long story short: dual sovereignty means double exposure. Federal and state prosecutors are independant of each other but can coordinate. Smart defense strategy addresses both levels of goverment simultaneously. Less charges is always better then more charges, and preventing the state form piling on is part of effective representation. Flush out a deal that covers both, and you’re in a much better position.

The IRS Is Coming Too – The 1099-C Investigation Wave

If you thought the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office was you’re only problems, think again. The IRS is now actively involved in PPP fraud investigations, and there using a pretty sophisticated method to catch people: cross-referencing loan forgiveness data with tax returns.

When your PPP loan was forgiven, the SBA should of issued you a 1099-C form reporting the cancellation of debt. Normally, cancelled debt is taxable income, but PPP loan forgiveness was specifically exempted from taxation under the CARES Act. So you didn’t have to pay taxes on the forgiven amount. However, the 1099-C still exists as a record, and the IRS has copies of all of them.

Here’s what there doing: taking the 1099-C data (which shows how much you’re loan was and that it was forgiven) and matching it against your 2019 and 2020 tax returns (which show you’re actual buisness income and payroll expenses). If the numbers don’t match up—if you claimed $200,000 in payroll costs on the PPP application but you’re 2019 and 2020 tax returns show only $75,000 in total buisness income—that’s a big red flag’s for fraud.

The IRS computers is running these comparisons automatically. There looking for cases where the loan amount is way out of proportion to the tax return data. When they find a mismatch, they refer it to IRS Criminal Investigation, which then refers it to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This is how alot of the 2024-2025 PPP cases are being generated. Its not random audits. Its systematic database matching between three goverment agencies: SBA, IRS, and DOJ.

If you’re in this situation—where your tax returns is inconsistent with your PPP application—you’re in serious trouble. Prosecutors love these cases becuase the evidence is right there in black and white. You told the SBA one thing (high payroll costs) and you told the IRS another thing (low buisness income). Both statements can’t be true. One of them has to be false, and ether way, you made a false statement to the federal goverment.

The IRS can also bring seperate charges for tax evasion or filing false tax returns if you’re PPP fraud involves tax issues. This adds another layer of criminal exposure on top of the wire fraud and false statements charges. Your facing not just PPP fraud but potentially tax fraud to. The sentences can run consecutively (one after the other) rather then concurrently (at the same time), which means your total prison time could be significantly longer.

No joke—if you recieved a 1099-C for loan forgiveness and you’re tax returns don’t support the loan amount, you need to talk to a federal defense attorney right now. This is one of the biggest investigation waves happening in 2025, and the cases is being built through automated data matching. The goverment doesn’t need a whistleblower or a cooperating witness. There just comparing there own databases, and the discrepancies is obvious.

Another problem: some people didn’t report the loan forgiveness correctly on there 2020 or 2021 tax returns. Even though PPP forgiveness was tax-exempt, you still had to report certain information. If you didn’t, or if you reported it incorrectly, that’s another red flag for the IRS. Long story short, the IRS involvement makes PPP fraud cases more complicated and more dangerous becuase your dealing with two different agencies who both have enforcement power.

What Actually Happens Next – The Month-by-Month Timeline

Okay, so your under investigation or you’ve got a target letter. What actually happens next? Most people have no idea how the federal criminal process works, and the uncertainty makes everything more stressful. Let me walk you through the timeline so you know what to expect.

Target Letter (Day 1). If you get a target letter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, it usually gives you 10-14 days to respond. The letter might say your the “target” of an investigation or that your a “subject,” which is a slightly lower category. Either way, it means prosecutors is seriously considering charging you. Your attorney should respond to this letter, either to request a meeting with prosecutors or to provide information that might convince them not to indict. This is you’re pre-indictment window, and its closing fast.

Proffer Session (Weeks 1-2). If you decide to cooperate, you’re attorney will arrange a proffer session with the U.S. Attorney. This is a meeting where you sit down with prosecutors and FBI agents and tell them everything you know. Its conducted under a “proffer agreement” that limits how you’re statements can be used. The goal is to show prosecutors that you have valuable information and that you’re willing to cooperate. If the proffer goes well, prosecutors might offer a cooperation agreement. If it goes badly, they’ll indict you anyway.

Indictment (Months 1-3). If prosecutors decide to file charges, they’ll present the case to a grand jury. The grand jury process is secret, and you don’t have a right to be there or to present evidence. The grand jury almost always indicts becuase there only hearing the prosecutor’s side. Once you’re indicted, the case moves to the next stage. An indictment is a formal charging document that lists the specific counts against you.

Arraignment (Within days of indictment). After indictment, you’ll be arraigned in federal court. This is a short hearing where the judge reads the charges, you enter a plea (usually “not guilty” at this stage), and the judge sets bail. In PPP fraud cases, most defendants are released on bond becuase there not considered violent offenders or flight risks. You might have to surrender you’re passport and agree to travel restrictions.

Discovery (Months 3-6). Discovery is the process where the goverment turns over evidence to you’re attorney. This includes bank records, loan applications, emails, witness statements, and anything else there planning to use at trial. You’re attorney will review all of this to identify weaknesses in the prosecutor’s case and to build your defense. Discovery take time becuase federal cases involve alot of documents.

Motions (Months 6-9). You’re attorney might file motions to suppress evidence (if it was obtained illegally), to dismiss charges (if the indictment is defective), or to compel the goverment to turn over additional evidence. The judge will hold hearings on these motions. Most motions is denied, but sometimes you can get key evidence excluded or charges reduced. This is also when plea negotiations typically happen. Prosecutors doesn’t want to go to trial ether, so there often willing to offer a deal.

Plea Bargain or Trial (Months 9-18). Most federal cases end in a plea bargain. You plead guilty to fewer charges or to reduced charges in exchange for a lower sentence recommendation. If you can’t reach a deal, the case goes to trial. Trials in federal court typically last 1-2 weeks for PPP fraud cases. The jury decides guilt or innocence. If you’re convicted, sentencing happens later. If you’re acquitted, you walk away free.

Sentencing (Months 12-24 if plea, 15-24 if trial). If you plead guilty or are convicted at trial, the judge will hold a sentencing hearing. A probation officer prepares a presentence report that calculates you’re sentencing guidelines range based off factors like loss amount, criminal history, and role in the offense. You’re attorney can argue for a lower sentence, and prosecutors can argue for a higher one. The judge has some discretion but usually stays within the guidelines range. Sentencing is where the calender finally ends and you find out how much time you’re actually facing.

The entire process takes between 12-24 months from indictment to sentencing, though it can be faster if you plead guilty early or slower if the case is complicated. Each stage has its own deadlines and decision points. First thing that happens: target letter response. Next up: proffer or indictment. Then discovery. Then motions. Then plea or trial. Then sentencing. That’s the timeline, and understanding it helps you prepare mentally for what’s ahead.

Its a long road, but at least you know where teh road goes.

Don’t Face This Alone – Call a Mississippi Federal Defense Attorney Now

Your running out of time. The FBI investigation isn’t gonna wait for you to figure this out. The U.S. Attorney’s Office isn’t gonna give you extensions becuase your overwhelmed. Co-defendants is cooperating right now, and every day you wait is a day they’re providing information that could be used against you.

Its not gonna get easier. It’s only gonna get worse.

If you’ve recieved a target letter, if federal agents have contacted you, if you’re facing PPP fraud charges in Mississippi, you need a federal defense attorney who understands 18 USC 1343 wire fraud, 18 USC 1001 false statements, and how to navigate the federal courts in the Southern District and Northern District of Mississippi. This ain’t the time for a general practice attorney who’s never handled a federal case. You need someone who knows the prosecutors, knows the judges, knows the federal sentencing guidelines, adn knows how to negotiate cooperation agreements.

Call now. Right now. Your facing federal charges with decades of prison exposure, and the decisions you make in the next 72 hours determines wether you’re looking at probation or years in federal prison. There’s no time to waste. The cooperation window is closing. Pre-indictment negotiation opportunities is disappearing. Asset forfeiture can happen before you even get to court. You gotta act, and you gotta act fast.

Your case matters. Your freedom matters. Your family matters. Don’t try to handle this alone just becuase you’re scared or embarrassed. Federal PPP fraud cases is complicated, and there’s to much at stake to go it alone.

We’re here. 24/7. Call us right now and let’s start protecting you’re future before its to late.