Ian Jackson Sentenced in Pandemic Loan Fraud Case

Ian Jackson, a two-time convicted felon from Atlanta, has been sentenced to ten years and ten months in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme to steal over $3 million through fraudulent pandemic loans. U. S.

District Judge Eleanor L. Ross handed down the sentence, which will be followed by five years of supervised release.

Jackson, 37, pleaded guilty on June 30, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, two counts of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and two counts of money laundering. His fraudulent activities involved manipulating pandemic relief programs, specifically targeting the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).

According to the U. S. Attorney's Office, Jackson recruited at least nine business owners to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications.

These applications contained falsified payroll information and concocted IRS tax forms, resulting in each business receiving $300,000 in PPP funds. The business owners then wrote "payroll" checks to individuals who did not work for them, keeping or splitting the stolen funds with Jackson.

Jackson also used a fraudulent Georgia driver's license to apply for approximately $100,000 in EIDL and PPP loans. He conspired to apply for a $237,500 fraudulent PPP loan using fabricated tax forms and a doctored bank statement. Additionally, he fraudulently obtained a $240,035 PPP loan and $125,000 in EIDL loans and grants.

The stolen funds were used for personal expenses, including dining at restaurants, spa services, phone and credit card bills, and travel to Aruba.

The investigation was conducted by the U. S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

U. S. Attorney Theodore S.

Hertzberg emphasized the commitment to holding accountable those who exploited pandemic relief programs. "Jackson recruited accomplices to manipulate pandemic relief programs, stealing more than $3 million earmarked for small business owners who suffered from the pandemic," Hertzberg said.

SBA Inspector General William W. Kirk and FBI Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham also highlighted the importance of prosecuting those who exploit public trust. "Jackson treated pandemic relief as a personal payday, stealing millions intended to keep American small businesses afloat," Kirk stated.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bethany L. Rupert and Deputy Chief Lyndie Freeman of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Public Trust and Financial Integrity Section. The Department of Justice's National Fraud Enforcement Division, created in April 2026, focuses on investigating and prosecuting fraud against the American people.

This initiative supports the President's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, chaired by Vice President J. D. Vance.

Anyone with information about attempted pandemic program fraud can report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or via the SBA Office of the Inspector General Complaint Submission.