A North Carolina oral surgeon has been indicted for allegedly orchestrating a $3 million fraudulent loan scheme, which he reportedly used to pay for travel, farm equipment, and more, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Dr. Matthew Johnson, 58, owner of Johnson Oral Surgery in Mooresville, NC, is charged with wire fraud and tax evasion. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison plus fines, according to a press release dated November 17 from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
Between August 2018 and November 2021, Johnson reportedly submitted a false and fraudulent loan application to the U.S. Small Business Administration in the name of his dental practice and his real estate development company, Mount Mourne Springs.
The loan purportedly contained fraudulent information, including false information regarding the status of the clinician’s personal and business taxes and outstanding tax debts. Johnson allegedly submitted a fabricated letter that was purported to be from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service that falsely represented that the oral surgeon had entered a payment plan with the revenue agency. The fraudulent loan application resulted in Johnson receiving an SBA-backed loan for more than $3 million, according to the release.
Contrary to claims Johnson made on the application about the purpose of the loan, he allegedly used the money to pay for personal expenses, including travel, farm equipment, home improvement projects, and cash withdrawals, according to the release.From October 2015 to November 2021, Johnson purportedly committed tax evasion for the years 2013 through 2016. He allegedly failed to pay more than $615,000 in taxes he owed to the IRS.
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