The husband of former Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush has been indicted on federal charges related to COVID-19 relief fraud, according to an announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Cortney Merritts, 46, of St. Louis, is accused of submitting false information to the Small Business Administration in order to secure pandemic-era relief loans during 2020 and 2021. Prosecutors allege that Merritts misrepresented the nature, income, and staffing of businesses he claimed to operate, ultimately receiving $20,000 in federal funds.
He now faces two counts of wire fraud.
Merritts’ attorney, Justin Gelfand, emphasized that his client intends to fight the charges. “Mr. Merritts will plead not guilty,” Gelfand stated. “As with any indictment, this reflects only the government’s allegations. We look forward to addressing this in court.”
According to prosecutors, one of Merritts’ loan applications submitted in July 2020 was denied because it mirrored a prior request that had already been filed—raising red flags for investigators.
This indictment comes roughly a year after the Justice Department opened a separate investigation into Cori Bush herself, centered on payments her campaign made to Merritts for private security services. In 2022 alone, Bush’s campaign paid her husband $60,000, despite the fact that he did not hold a valid private security license in the St. Louis area, where licensing is required for such work.
In addition to payments to Merritts, Bush’s campaign also directed more than $275,000 to other private security vendors during the same period.
A watchdog group, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, previously filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission urging an investigation into whether the payments to Merritts constituted misuse of campaign funds. The group questioned whether the services were necessary or fairly priced, citing his personal relationship with the congresswoman.
“If the payments were excessive or unwarranted, they may violate campaign finance laws,” the group stated.
Bush, a former member of the progressive “Squad” in Congress, lost her primary bid for reelection in 2024. Her defeat followed mounting criticism over her comments regarding Israel’s response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.
Bush’s situation echoes other controversies in Congress involving campaign funds and family members. Representative Maxine Waters of California, for example, has faced scrutiny for paying her daughter more than $1.2 million over the years for work related to political mailers—a practice rare at the federal level.
As Merritts prepares to face federal court in Washington, D.C., the case adds another layer of legal and ethical questions surrounding the use of public and campaign funds during a politically charged era.
