SBA Assistance Bar for COVID Relief Fraud Convictions (Assisting Small Businesses Not Fraudsters Act)
Current understanding
HR825, the Assisting Small Businesses Not Fraudsters Act, would prohibit individuals convicted of financial crimes related to COVID-19 relief programs (PPP, RRF, SVOG) from receiving SBA financial assistance. The prohibition would extend to businesses in which such individuals serve as owners, officers, directors, or key employees. Status: introduced; not enacted.
Evidence log
- 2026-06-24 — COVID Fraud Transparency Act of 2026: cross-connection with sba-covid-loan-fraud-reporting: Companion measures addressing COVID-19 SBA loan fraud: a bar on future SBA assistance for convicted fraudsters, and quarterly OIG reporting on fraud case disposition. (novelty: 2)
- 2025-12-02 — SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act: cross-connection with sba-fraud-enforcement-extension: Both target post-hoc enforcement against COVID-era SBA relief fraud — one extends the limitations window for prosecution, the other bars future SBA assistance to convicted fraudsters. (novelty: 2)
- 2026-06-29 — Recover COVID Unemployment Fraud in Banks Act: cross-connection with covid-unemployment-fraud-bank-recovery: Both address post-hoc federal responses to COVID-era relief fraud—one targeting recovery of unemployment funds from banks, the other barring convicted COVID fraudsters from future SBA assistance. (novelty: 3)
- 2026-06-24 — Small Business Lending Fraud Prevention Act: cross-connection with sba-lending-conflict-of-interest-certification: Both target integrity of SBA lending programs — one by barring COVID-relief fraudsters from future SBA assistance, the other by imposing written COI certification duties on SBA loan personnel. (novelty: 2)