An Atlantic County construction company along with one of its owners who were accused,  and have since admitted, to accepting a PPP loan that they weren't entitled to, which is also a violation of the False Claims Act, have reached a settlement agreement with the United State government, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced on Monday.

Christopher Construction Company Inc. (the “Company”) and Dennis Christopher, who is the aforementioned owner involved, had applied for and then received a PPP loan of $255,507, according to the settlement.

Dennis Christopher, in his filing of the PPP application, said that nobody who owned 20-percent or more of the company's equity or the company itself, was subject to an indictment or other criminal charges, which wasn't true, another owner of the company fell into that category, and Christopher knew it.

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The loan application that Dennis Christopher submitted led to bank approval of a PPP loan which means the Small Business Administration was going to pay a loan processing fee to the lender and guarantee the loan, through the PPP.

Flash forward to getting caught for filing the false loan application with the information that wasn't accurate along the way, Christopher Construction Company had to repay the money they get from the PPP loan balance in full, which Attorney Sellinger explains let the SBA off the hook for any liability to the lender.

At the end of the day, Christopher Construction Company and Dennis Christopher agreed to pay $53,325.00 in damages, and civil penalties.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Government Fraud Unit in Newark.

Counsel for Christopher Construction Co., Inc. and Dennis Christopher: Louis M. Barbone Esq., Atlantic City.

Relator’s counsel: Eric Jaso Esq., Montclair, New Jersey.

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