Cortney Merritts, the husband of former Representative Cori Bush (D-MO), has now reportedly been indicted on federal charges of wire fraud related to pandemic relief programs.
The indictment claims that Merritts committed fraud by submitting false applications for the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program between 2020 and 2021.
Allegedly, he received nearly $21,000 by providing misleading information about a business he owned, including false details about his company size and revenue.
The indictment was signed by Ed Martin, the U.S. Attorney nominated by Donald Trump to serve as the chief prosecutor in Washington, D.C.
However, the investigation that led to Merritts’ charges began during the Biden administration. Federal prosecutors have ordered him to forfeit any property linked to the alleged fraud.
Merritts’ attorney, Justin Gelfand, expressed eagerness to contest the charges in court.
Meanwhile, Cori Bush has faced scrutiny in the past over her financial dealings, particularly following an investigation into whether she improperly used campaign funds to pay Merritts as her security guard.
While Bush herself has not been charged with any wrongdoing, the current status of her investigation remains unclear.
Bush, who represented her St. Louis-area district since 2021 after defeating incumbent Lacy Clay in the Democratic primary, has come under fire for her high campaign expenditures on personal security services, totaling over $750,000 since 2019.
She justified these expenses by citing threats to her life.
In the 2024 election, Bush lost her seat to Wesley Bell, the former St. Louis County Prosecutor, signaling a shift in her political standing as she moves forward from her congressional career.
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