St. Louis Roofing Contractor Pleads Guilty to $1.7M in COVID Paycheck Protection Plan Fraud
Date Posted: November 4, 2025
Posted In: Featured, News, People,
A St. Louis-area contractor with ties to several local business and development ventures has pleaded guilty Nov. 4th in federal court to charges of wire fraud related to misuse of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
Federal prosecutors said Cory Elliott used false statements to receive more than $1.7 million in PPP funds through multiple companies, including CMT Roofing LLC and CAE Contracting LLC.
CMT Roofing, obtained loans of about $875,000 in April 2020 and $833,333 in January 2021, claiming 40 employees. CAE Contracting claimed one employee and received $20,833.
The loans were later forgiven under the federal program, which was designed to help small businesses maintain payroll during the pandemic.
Non-Allowed Payments
An information filed by a public corruption prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s office said that Elliott used PPP funds for non-allowed purposes, including $559,454 for payments due to unions, $2,500 to another company she controlled, and $200,000 to an investment account.
The plea was entered in advance of a formal indictment expected to be filed next week.
Under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, wire-fraud charges carry a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison—or up to 30 years if the offense involves benefits tied to a federal emergency program such as PPP—and potential fines of up to $1 million per count. Actual sentencing will depend on federal guidelines that take into account the loss amount, intent, and any restitution.
The case adds to a growing national list of pandemic-relief fraud prosecutions and highlights ongoing federal scrutiny of PPP-loan compliance.
Sentencing is set for February 10, 2026. Further filings are expected to clarify restitution amounts and terms of the plea agreement.
Prominent Private and Public Contracts
Cory Elliott founded CMT Roofing LLC in 2012 as a minority- and woman-owned contracting firm specializing in commercial roofing, demolition, and environmental abatement. She previously worked for over a decade in healthcare operations and facilities management.
CMT performed roofing work at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, including restoration of copper domes on the terminal buildings, and participated as a contractor on the Locust Lofts redevelopment in downtown St. Louis, a historic-building conversion to apartments. City of St. Louis procurement listings also document CMT as a planholder or subcontractor on several municipal roofing and facility-renovation projects, including fire stations and other public-works facilities.