Man sentenced to prison after fraudulently getting $1.25M in car loans, COVID relief

A Fayette County man will spend nearly three years in federal prison after admitting to fraudulently obtaining more than $1.2 million through pandemic relief programs and auto loan schemes.

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Hugh A. Brown, Jr., 35, was sentenced Thursday to two years and nine months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

He was also ordered to pay $1,244,243.81 in restitution to the Small Business Administration, the IRS and financial institutions.

According to federal prosecutors, Brown used fake documents and false information to obtain money through several schemes over five years.

In 2020, Brown applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan using false payroll information and fake IRS tax forms. He received $162,500.

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Two years later, he fraudulently claimed Employee Retention Credits through his company, receiving seven U.S. Treasury checks totaling more than $644,000.

Prosecutors also said Brown obtained nearly $450,000 in fraudulent bank and credit union loans between February 2022 and February 2025. He allegedly used fake documents, misrepresented his employment and income, and provided fictitious vehicle information for loan collateral.

“This defendant shamelessly fleeced federal taxpayers and financial institutions over half a decade through various loan fraud schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.

Brown pleaded guilty to bank fraud conspiracy and bank fraud on June 3, 2026.

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