BALTIMORE, MD—A Baltimore County man has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud after fraudulently obtaining more than a half million dollars in COVID-19 relief loans, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
Edward McCorkle, 37, admitted to submitting fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds under the federal CARES Act between May 2020 and February 2021. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial aid to small businesses and Americans impacted by the pandemic.
According to his plea agreement, McCorkle secured $523,700 through his scheme, while attempting to obtain nearly a million dollars in total. He used the funds for “impermissible purposes,” including personal expenses, large cash withdrawals, and to purchase and rehabilitate real estate in Baltimore City.
In one instance, McCorkle submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application for a purported business, Real Transitions LLC, claiming it had 15 employees and a 2019 payroll of over $1.1 million. He supported the claim with four fabricated IRS tax forms. Based on these false documents, he received a $246,500 loan. After receiving the money, he paid a $49,300 kickback to a co-conspirator and used the rest for personal expenses.
McCorkle also admitted to fraudulently obtaining more than $227,000 in EIDL funds, which he used for his mortgage, retail purchases, and payments to relatives and associates.
McCorkle faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and up to three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett is scheduled to sentence him on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office and the Baltimore County Police Department.
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