A San Antonio man, James Michael Bergeron, 42, has been indicted on 11 counts related to wire fraud and money laundering by a federal grand jury in San Antonio. The charges stem from an alleged scheme devised by Bergeron to obtain funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), both COVID-era relief programs for small business owners.

According to court documents, Bergeron is accused of making misrepresentations about the number of employees and average monthly payroll of various entities he controlled in order to secure funds. The indictment also alleges that he misrepresented the annual revenue of one of these entities to obtain money from the RRF. Based on these false representations, Bergeron, through the entities, received millions of dollars.

The funds obtained were reportedly spent on unauthorized items, including real estate, vehicles, and retail investment products. Bergeron faces charges including five counts of wire fraud, one count of false statement, three counts of engaging in a monetary transaction over $10,000 using criminally derived proceeds, and two counts of concealment money laundering.

Bergeron made his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Chestney of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of thirty years in prison. The sentencing, if applicable, will be determined by a federal district court judge considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.