VISALIA — Joey Wayne Mackey, CEO of a Visalia-based construction company, was arrested Friday on a federal complaint alleging he fraudulently obtained more than $4 million in COVID-19 relief funds and used the money to build a personal real estate portfolio, according to U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
Federal court documents claim that between April and June 2020, Mackey, 45, submitted false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of three companies: Forcum-Mackey Construction Inc., JWM Inc., and Mack Aviation LLC.
Prosecutors allege that Mackey inflated payroll and employee numbers to secure the loans, resulting in $4,082,550 in taxpayer-backed funds being disbursed.
Authorities say Mackey laundered the funds through fraudulent payroll payments to family members—including his minor children—before using the money to purchase office parks, luxury apartments, and other high-value real estate assets. The luxury spending and investments reportedly continued through at least 2023.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, FDIC Office of Inspector General, and the SBA Office of Inspector General.
If convicted, Mackey faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine.
