As federal authorities intensify efforts to investigate potential misuse of pandemic relief funds, a number of Nepali-owned IT consulting firms operating across the United States have come under scrutiny. These firms are alleged to have improperly used Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans by claiming to retain full-time employees on payroll while their business model typically operates on a different premise.

In the world of IT consultancies, many companies function by placing consultants on assignment at various client sites. Under these arrangements, consultants are generally only compensated when they are actively working for clients. For many of these firms, “payrolling” employees without an active assignment is not part of the business model, and consultants are often paid only when billing for their work. Yet, when applying for PPP loans, these consultancies are alleged to have reported payroll expenses for employees who were only technically on their roster — an approach that authorities argue inflates numbers and does not align with the program’s intent.

Originally launched in 2020, the PPP was created to help businesses retain employees and cover essential payroll costs amid widespread economic shutdowns. For companies that were legitimately struggling, these loans offered a financial lifeline. But as investigators now contend, some firms appear to have misrepresented payroll expenses to access substantial sums of government funding that were potentially unneeded or improperly directed.

These revelations have prompted federal probes into the nature of these consultancies’ business practices. Investigators have started examining payroll records, contracts, and loan applications to better understand how the funds were allocated — and whether the consultancies kept employees on payroll as claimed or simply pocketed taxpayer money without sustaining actual payroll expenses.

If found to have misused PPP funds, these firms could face penalties, including restitution and potential criminal charges. For federal agencies, the investigation reflects a broader initiative to ensure that relief funds went to companies facing genuine hardship rather than those seeking to capitalize on a national crisis.