By: Richard L. Smith
A Bergen County resident has admitted to fraudulently securing more than $600,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funds, according to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Malak Faltawws, also known as “Mark Andrews,” 47, of Rutherford, pleaded guilty on June 10, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court.
He was charged with wire fraud and money laundering in connection to a scheme involving fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
Federal prosecutors said that between March 2020 and November 2021, Faltawws submitted false applications for pandemic assistance loans, grossly inflating business revenues, payroll figures, and employee counts to qualify for aid.
He ultimately secured approximately $617,991 through the EIDL and PPP programs, and then misused the funds for personal expenses.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while the money laundering charge could result in up to 10 years.
Each charge also carries a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the financial gain or loss involved. Sentencing is scheduled for October 22, 2025.
The case was investigated by special agents from IRS–Criminal Investigations and the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.
It is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force initiative, which targets large-scale pandemic relief fraud across the country.