A federal grand jury indicted a Blackfoot man on Sept. 13 for three wire fraud charges for obtaining fraudulent pandemic-era financial loans aimed at helping small businesses. This is part of an ongoing investigation by the District of Idaho’s COVID-19 Fraud Task Force, which indicted eight other individuals, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.

Craig Marlow, 40, had allegedly obtained over $900,000 in fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans, which the Small Business Association authorizes from the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act. He pleaded not guilty in District Court.

The Economic Injury Disaster Loan can provide up to $2 million to small businesses that are eligible and experiencing financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After submitting an application for this loan, the Small Business Administration provides an advance of up to $10,000 within three days. Still, it is determined by how many employees there are on the borrower’s payroll, and it does not have to be repaid.

According to the indictment, Marlow used the personal identifying information of four family members to apply for loans for various shell, defunct entities or entities that had no business operations at the time of the applications.

He allegedly provided false information to the Small Business Association for the fraudulent applications of the loans. This included false statements of gross revenue, monthly revenue, cost of goods, cost of operations and number of employees for the entities.

Through all the applications sent, 10 in total with different family members associated with them, Marlow allegedly obtained approximately $426,700. According to the indictment, Marlow obtained a $500,000 loan for an entity called Putnam Organic Farms on July 15, 2021, using his and a family member’s name and providing false information, totaling $926,700.

The three counts of wire fraud are for various dates and times between May 13, 2020, and April 26, 2023. In total, the amount for all three counts is $773,200, the indictment said.

The first count is a wire for $149,400 for an entity called Marlow Bros Dairy, the second is $123,900 for another entity called Marlow Brown Organic Dairy, and the final is $499,900 for Putnam Farms LLC, which is different from the one he received in 2021. Marlow and three different family members control all of these.

If found guilty, Marlow faces 20 years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and a $100 special assessment fee.

A jury trial is set for Nov. 28 at 1:30 p.m. in Pocatello before District Judge B. Lynn Winmill.