O.C. man used PPP loans for luxuries

An Irvine man went on a luxury spending spree with fraudulently obtained PPP loans, buying himself expensive cars and designer swag, and landing himself in prison, federal prosecutors announced Friday.

Pierre Rogers, 44, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison last week after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud in connection with the scheme.

Rogers and his co-defendant, Joshua Leavitt, applied for nearly $5 million in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program as well as Economic Injury Disaster Loans for several businesses that they owned using falsified documents, including tax returns.

They submitted 22 applications and ultimately received slightly more than $800,000.

Much of the money was spent not for the benefit of company employees but on a raft of luxury items and experiences.

Rogers bought a 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost for $107,780 and a Porsche for $56,000.

Rogers also spent nearly $8,000 combined at a RitzCarlton hotel and a beach resort in the span of 18 days in October 2020.

Leavitt is due to be sentenced in March.