I finally did it!
A few months ago, I looked up a previous employer via the PPP loan search site (https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program) and to my shock and anger, I see they claimed to have over 50 jobs/employees for a forgiven 40k loan. I would say they have maximum 10, but more like 5 actual jobs there. So … I finally just now reported them. Are they including in the jobs number every time they pay someone $100 to do something? That’s not a job, right? What if someone volunteers countless hours for your company, then you throw them $150 for gas money down the road for driving repeatedly a long distance for a project. Can you then call that all a job you created?
I don’t feel like going into details, but this small company’s owners made it clear their goal is to become rich and live the lifestyle of the rich. My wife worked for them for years, giving so many unpaid hours to them, and the pay she did receive was pathetic. For over 5 years, it really felt like this business was her whole life, and by extension most of mine as well.
On the other hand, the business is involved in the arts (hard to make money) and the owners, with which we are acquaintances/distant friends, have worked hard for a long time at the business to create and build it. But I can’t just forget about all those years I watched my wife be taken advantage of, right? Just for them to lie and get almost 40k. I know that’s not a lot compared to a lot of companies out there, but I quickly searched some other companies of similar size in the area, and they seemed to be reporting in good faith (e.g. 3 jobs for a ppp loan of 4K, 2 jobs for 1.5k, etc.)
It feels like the small business that were truthful only received a few thousand at most, but all other business who are willing to smudge the numbers will simply walk away with tens or hundreds of thousands?
Has anyone ever reported apparent PPP fraud? I’m assuming it will be a while before they actually review it, but you never know.