The husband of radical former “Squad” Congresswoman Cori Bush has been indicted on federal charges related to fraudulently obtaining COVID relief funds, adding to the growing list of Democrat-linked individuals facing legal trouble over pandemic-era government programs.
Cortney Merritts, who married Bush in 2023, stands accused of two counts of wire fraud after allegedly securing over $20,000 in federal aid through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) using false claims and fake business information.
Breaking Down the Fraud Allegations
According to the Department of Justice, Merritts submitted multiple fraudulent loan applications during the COVID pandemic:
In July 2020, he claimed that his business, Vetted Couriers, had six employees and made $32,000 in revenue the year before. That application got him an $8,500 EIDL loan.
The very next day, Merritts filed a second EIDL application—this time under his own name—alleging he was the sole proprietor of another business with ten employees and $53,000 in revenue. This application was flagged and denied due to similarities with the first.
In April 2021, Merritts applied for a PPP loan, falsely stating his business had $128,000 in gross income. He received $20,832 from that application, which prosecutors say he used for personal expenses, not business operations.
If convicted, Merritts faces serious prison time for defrauding pandemic relief programs that were intended to help struggling businesses—not fund personal lifestyles.
Bush’s History of Ethical Questions
While Cori Bush is not currently charged in the case, the indictment brings renewed attention to ethics questions that dogged her during her time in Congress.
In 2022, Bush funneled over $60,000 in campaign funds to Merritts under the guise of “security services,” even though he had no private security license. The payments sparked an ethics complaint, though the Office of Congressional Ethics ultimately declined to take formal action. Still, the incident highlighted Bush’s pattern of using taxpayer or donor funds to benefit those close to her, all while pushing a defund-the-police agenda that many saw as hypocritical.
Bush, a former Black Lives Matter activist, lost her re-election bid in the 2024 Democratic primary, largely due to mounting controversies, growing dissatisfaction with her far-left policies, and rising crime in her district.
Wider Pattern of COVID Relief Abuse
Merritts’ indictment is just one of many cases involving fraudulent misuse of COVID relief funds, a scandal that has cost American taxpayers billions of dollars.
Under the Biden administration, trillions were rushed out the door with minimal oversight, opening the floodgates to massive abuse by politically connected individuals and fraudulent applicants. According to federal watchdogs, hundreds of billions in pandemic relief were lost to waste, fraud, and abuse.
Now, as law enforcement begins cracking down, cases like Merritts’ serve as a warning that justice may finally be catching up with those who cashed in on the crisis—whether they were everyday scammers or had close ties to Democrat politicians.
The Bottom Line
This indictment isn’t just about one man lying on loan forms. It’s about a broader culture of corruption and entitlement that flourished under big-government pandemic programs—and it’s yet another example of how Democrat insiders benefited while working Americans paid the price.
As the legal process unfolds, the spotlight will remain not just on Merritts, but on Cori Bush’s political judgment, her questionable spending, and the growing call for accountability across the board.
The post Cori Bush’s Husband Indicted On Federal Charges appeared first on Real News Now.
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