“The defendant in this case defrauded a government assistance program made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. The program was designed to provide relief for distressed borrowers with certain Farm Service Agency direct and/or guaranteed loans and to expedite assistance for those whose agricultural operations were at financial risk. This investigation should send a message of deterrence that USDA-OIG and our law enforcement partners are committed to holding those accountable who defraud government programs,” said Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge, USDA-OIG.

“This audit couldn’t be more well-timed to ensure USDA shores up its protocols around national security,” said Inspector General John Walk. “I applaud the OIG auditors who worked on this report and look forward to continuing our work across all of USDA’s 135 programs and 15 agencies and offices to address these national security vulnerabilities and ensure the safety and security of the United States.”

“USDA OIG is pleased to support the work of USDA to prevent the program failures in FDPIR that occurred in 2024 by performing its oversight function to improve program efficiency,” said Inspector General John Walk.