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The Department of Justice announced last week that three women, including former SBA Loan Officer Rena Barrett, have pleaded guilty in separate COVID-19 relief fraud schemes that have become all too familiar at this point. These cases, prosecuted in the Northern District of Georgia, demonstrate both the scale of pandemic-era fraud and the government’s ongoing push to hold offenders accountable.

But banking groups say not so fast. They argue that: Data security costs real money. Maintaining safe, secure, and compliant systems for data-sharing is expensive, and expecting banks to provide this infrastructure for free puts an unfair burden on them. “Free rides” could undermine trust. If fintechs can simply plug in without oversight or cost-sharing, banks fear it could open the door to cybersecurity risks and misuse of sensitive consumer data.

“Open Banking helps to make the eBay Seller Capital application process easier, faster and more holistic for small businesses, so we can help more eBay sellers start and grow their businesses,”

Tonight, the Funder Intel Industry Mixer takes over CT Cantina & Taqueria, and the room is going to be buzzing. We’ve got brokers, funders, lenders, fintech pros, and service providers all under one roof starting at 6:30 PM. The energy is set, the cocktails are ready, and the opportunities are real.

Reis, aged 47 and residing in Puerto Rico after relocating from Arizona, admitted to conspiring to commit wire fraud, orchestrating fake Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications through Blueacorn.

In one of the more notable COVID-relief fraud cases to hit the lending industry, a California business loan broker has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison for orchestrating a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.

“We continue to see strong demand from both consumers and businesses seeking bankruptcy protection... Overall volumes are steadily climbing back toward pre-pandemic levels,” said Michael Hunter, VP at Epiq AACER.

GoDaddy’s Q2 2025 Earnings; Louisiana Mandates New Disclosures for Revenue-Based Financing; Shopify’s Q2 2025; Bankruptcy Court Ruling Redefines Merchant Cash Advances; BlackRock’s $1 Billion Bet on LendingClub’s Marketplace; Lenders Remain Bullish on Manufacturing & Construction Equipment

In a move that signals a broader shift in how small businesses access capital, iBusiness Funding has announced a collaboration with Intuit to offer SBA financing options directly within the QuickBooks platform. This integration means that millions of small business owners using QuickBooks will now have the ability to explore SBA loan opportunities, streamlining one of the historically most cumbersome funding processes.

Fintech giant Revolut is reportedly considering the acquisition of a U.S. bank, a strategic move to accelerate its American ambitions without waiting years for a bank charter approval. By purchasing a bank with a national license, Revolut could vastly expand its financial services, including the addition of business lending to its suite of corporate credit cards.

The math is compelling. As average loan sizes decreased by 36% since 2021, the number of approvals surged. This trend suggests we're witnessing the democratization of SBA lending, with more entrepreneurs gaining access to the capital that was previously concentrated among fewer, larger borrowers.

A recent PYMNTS Intelligence report reveals that over half of SMBs use both personal and business credit cards. Younger firms frequently carry balances, signaling cash flow pressure. While high limits attract larger SMBs, smaller ones want credit-building tools and relevant perks.

Heron, a startup using AI to automate workflows in business lending, equipment finance, and insurance, has raised $16 million in Series A funding led by global software investor Insight Partners, with participation from existing investors Y-Combinator, BoxGroup and Flex Capital. The Series A will support Heron's next phase of expansion, helping the company scale its AI-driven solutions to more segments.

At the center of it all was Edwin Brant Frost IV, a man who had spent nearly four decades building credibility in Georgia's Republican circles, only to allegedly use that trust to orchestrate one of the state's largest financial frauds in recent memory.

The new wave of brokers entering the space? Many are hungry, motivated… and totally lost. They don’t know how to source quality leads, structure a deal, or build lender relationships. This is your opportunity to...

Paul's fraud scheme involved 42 separate loans across 17 institutions, indicating that individual lenders may have lacked the systems to identify patterns of suspicious activity that would have been apparent when viewed collectively.