The Washington, D.C. Swamp strikes again. The Trump administration’s DOJ has caught a fraudster red-handed.
Because a U.S. House Democrat was just smacked with federal criminal charges.
Husband of Former Rep. Cori Bush Charged with Federal Fraud Over Pandemic Loans
On Thursday, a federal court in Washington, D.C., brought charges against Cortney Merritts, the husband of former Democratic Missouri Representative Cori Bush, accusing him of fraudulently obtaining more than $20,000 through Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Merritts, 46, now faces a federal indictment featuring two counts of wire fraud tied to his alleged manipulation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL), according to court documents released this week.
The indictment details how Merritts allegedly exploited these emergency relief programs, which were intended to support small businesses struggling amid the economic fallout of the pandemic. Prosecutors assert that he submitted falsified applications in 2020 and 2021 to secure funds he was not entitled to receive. U.S. Attorney Edward Martin Jr., joined by senior federal agents, explained that Merritts took advantage of provisions meant to assist legitimate business owners facing hardship. “Merritts manipulated SBA provisions designed to aid struggling businesses,” Martin stated, summarizing the government’s case.
The allegations trace back to July 7, 2020, when Merritts reportedly applied for an $8,500 EIDL loan for a company called Vetted Couriers. In that application, he claimed the business employed six people and generated $32,000 in annual gross revenue. Just one day later, on July 8, he submitted a second EIDL application, this time presenting himself as a sole proprietor. In this filing, he inflated the employee count to 10 and reported annual revenue of $53,000. The SBA, noticing the near-identical nature of the two applications, denied the second request for additional funds.
Merritts’ alleged misconduct did not stop there. On April 22, 2021, he secured a $20,832 PPP loan by claiming to operate a new business with a gross income of $128,000, a figure prosecutors say was fabricated. After receiving the money, Merritts applied for loan forgiveness, asserting that he had used the funds to cover payroll expenses. Investigators, however, allege that he diverted the money for personal use instead. Despite these discrepancies, the SBA ultimately forgave the PPP loan, including accrued interest, based on what the indictment describes as his deceptive claims.
The charges against Merritts come amid ongoing scrutiny of his wife’s financial dealings during her time in Congress. Federal Election Commission records reveal that between April 12 and June 30 of this year, Cori Bush paid her husband $15,000 in wages. These payments occurred even as federal authorities were investigating Merritts, and they follow earlier questions about Bush’s campaign spending. The New York Times previously reported that Bush had paid Merritts for security services, a practice that drew attention during her congressional tenure.
Bush, who lost her seat in Congress earlier this year, faced a tumultuous political career marked by multiple controversies. Her primary defeat was fueled in part by significant financial backing from pro-Israel organizations, including the Jewish Democratic Council of America and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which supported her opponents. These groups clashed with Bush over her stance on Israel, adding to her challenges. Beyond this, her time in office was shadowed by accusations of misconduct, fabricated claims, and a series of unusual incidents that likely contributed to her political downfall.
Adding to the turbulence, Bush championed polarizing policy ideas that stirred debate. In 2023, she pushed for $14 trillion in reparations to address historical injustices, a proposal that sparked widespread contention. She also advocated for defunding the Pentagon, a stance that further alienated some voters and colleagues. These positions, combined with the legal troubles now facing her husband, paint a picture of a congressional tenure defined by strife and scandal.
As Merritts prepares to answer the charges in court, the case serves as a fresh chapter in the ongoing saga surrounding Cori Bush and her inner circle. With the indictment now public, federal authorities are signaling their intent to hold accountable those who allegedly abused pandemic relief programs, regardless of their connections. For now, the former representative’s husband faces a legal battle that could carry significant consequences, both for him and for the legacy of Bush’s brief but eventful time in Washington.
Minnesota “Democrat” Orgs Caught In Giant Federal Fraud Scheme
In yet another glaring example of Democrats attempting to skirt accountability through their so-called advocacy organizations, a Minnesota jury has convicted Aimee Bock, founder of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, for orchestrating a staggering $250 million fraud scheme tied to COVID-19 relief funds. Bock, alongside her co-conspirator Salim Ahmed Said, a local restaurant owner, exploited a federal program meant to feed hungry children, pocketing millions while leaving kids empty-handed—all under the watch of Democratic Governor Tim Walz.
Feeding Our Future, marketed as a lifeline for Minneapolis children in need, became the vehicle for what the Justice Department calls one of the largest frauds against pandemic relief efforts nationwide. Prosecutors laid out a damning case: Bock and her crew recruited dozens of accomplices—food vendors and restaurants—to inflate meal counts or outright fabricate them, siphoning off the excess cash for personal gain. Authorities charged 70 people in total, with Bock and Said emerging as the ringleaders. The jury nailed Bock with seven counts and hit Said with 21, including wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy, and bribery tied to federal programs. Both now sit in state custody awaiting sentencing.
The scheme was as shameless as it was elaborate. Operating under the Federal Child Nutrition Program, which provides free meals to kids in need, Bock and Said turned a safety net into a slush fund. In Minnesota, unlike most states where the USDA directly funds the program, the state’s Department of Education—overseen by Walz’s administration—handles the cash flow. Prosecutors say the duo used this setup to funnel taxpayer dollars through the department, fabricating thousands of daily meals across Minneapolis sites. Before the pandemic, they raked in over $3 million in federal aid in 2019. By 2021, that haul ballooned to nearly $200 million, with a chunk earmarked for “administrative expenses” that conveniently lined their pockets. Bock allegedly pocketed $2 million, while Said walked away with $5 million.
During the trial, both defendants played the innocence card, taking the stand to defend themselves. It didn’t work. The FBI had hard evidence—cameras set up at places like Said’s restaurant caught the scam in action. Video showed a trickle of meals served compared to the flood of numbers reported, exposing how little food actually reached kids. Meanwhile, Feeding Our Future leaned on its nonprofit status to recruit vendors willing to lie about serving thousands of meals during the pandemic, keeping the extra funds flowing.
Governor Walz, predictably, has tried to dodge the fallout. After the fraud came to light in 2023, he faced heat for letting it fester under his nose. His response? A mix of outrage and deflection. “This is something that is obviously very close to me because I am furious about this. I have been from the beginning. These are criminals that preyed on a system that was meant to feed children. It was organized, they continued to lie about that,” Walz said. He thanked the prosecutors, FBI, and USDA for cleaning up the mess, but critics aren’t buying it. The Minnesota Department of Education, under his leadership, was even held in contempt of court in 2022 for trying to cut payments to Feeding Our Future—moves that now look like a desperate bid to avoid scrutiny before the scheme blew up.
This isn’t just a one-off scandal; it’s a textbook case of Democrats cloaking fraud in the guise of do-gooder groups. Feeding Our Future’s noble mission gave Bock and her allies cover to exploit a crisis, all while Walz’s administration failed to stop it. As sentencing looms, the convictions offer some justice—but they also expose how deep the rot can run when “advocacy” becomes a shield for corruption.
