A Delaware pastor has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after running a $544,764 pandemic relief fraud scheme.
Brian Pitman, 47, a church leader with Delaware County ties who pastored a 350-member congregation, served as a volunteer police chaplain and ran a mentoring program, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return, reports the Delaware County Daily Times.
U.S. District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge sentenced him on September 30th of 2026 to 18 months in prison, two years of supervised release, a $200 special assessment and $606,101 in restitution.
Prosecutors say Pitman used the names and information of friends and family to obtain $363,600 in Small Business Administration and Economic Injury Disaster Loan pandemic relief funds.
He then had more than $250,000 transferred to himself without reporting the income, leaving nearly $90,000 unpaid to the IRS.
He also secured another $181,164 through fraudulent applications in his own name and for businesses he controlled, bringing the total fraudulent payouts to $544,764.
Follow us on X, Facebook and Telegram
Don’t Miss a Beat – Subscribe to get email alerts delivered directly to your inbox
 
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any assets including cryptocurrencies, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.
Generated Image: Midjourney