United States of America Plaintiff— v. Eric Reed Marascio Defendant—
July 17, 2026·25-40088·Per Curiam·By James Taylor
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the conviction of Eric Reed Marascio for conspiring to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program. The court found sufficient evidence of specific intent and rejected claims regarding improper prosecutorial comments.
Eric Reed Marascio conspired to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program. The conspirators received three point five million dollars in phony loans. Marascio received a loan for two hundred twenty five thousand seven hundred forty five dollars for a fake business. He recruited others to participate in the scheme.
The court’s reasoning
The court reviewed the sufficiency of the evidence de novo. It found ample support for Marascio’s specific intent to engage in wire fraud. Circumstantial evidence showed he knew the scheme was unlawful. The court also addressed a prosecutor’s comment about co-conspirator guilty pleas. It found the statement was not improper or harmless error.
What it means going forward
The conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering stands.
