A Detroit-based certified public accountant has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh for orchestrating a massive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud that impacted hundreds of small businesses, including many in Western Pennsylvania.

Matthew Lloyd Parker, 37, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $14.5 million in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti announced Tuesday.

Federal prosecutors say Parker led a conspiracy between March 2020 and August 2021, during which he falsified over 200 PPP loan applications totaling more than $14.5 million.

Many of the small businesses he recruited were located in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region, making this the largest known PPP fraud case in the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Parker allegedly used his expertise as a CPA to misrepresent business details, payroll information, and tax records, securing loans meant to support legitimate pandemic recovery efforts.

He personally earned approximately $1.5 million in loan processing fees.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory C. Melucci and investigated by the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

“This sentence sends a strong message that exploiting emergency relief programs at the expense of honest small business owners will not go unpunished,” said Rivetti.

The PPP program was designed to provide financial assistance to businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.