Categories: Articles

Ethan Smith Interviewed by CNN

Philadelphia, PA – CNN interviewed Ethan Smith on the Paycheck Protection Program implemented in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ethan gave his insight on fraud committed in the PPP program as exemplified by an alleged scammer who was granted at least six Covid-19 bailout loans from the federal government. “There was no way to put the controls in to ferret out [fraudsters] without punishing people who weren’t committing fraud…At a certain point, it was an emergency. It wasn’t the perfect solution, but it was the best solution we could come up with at the time,” says Ethan.

Click here to access the full CNN interview.

Starfield & Smith

Recent Posts

Best Practices: Cell Tower Lease Considerations

No matter where you drive today, you are likely to see a cell tower rising…

8 hours ago

Best Practices: Reducing Valuation- Related Litigation Risk: Practical Release and Acknowledgment Strategies for SBA Lenders

Adhering to the prudent lender guidelines, SBA lenders frequently obtain business valuations and real estate…

1 week ago

Best Practices: Criteria for Evaluating Management Agreements

One of the benchmarks of the SBA loan program is that SBA loans are made…

2 weeks ago

Best Practices: SBA Issues Guidance Regarding the Prior Loss Rule and Non-Controlling Minority Investors

On May 28, 2026, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) issued Policy Notice 5000-879464, Prior Loss…

3 weeks ago

Best Practices: Avoiding EPC/OC Pitfalls

While the SBA’s Eligible Passive Company (“EPC”) guidelines are well established, lenders continue to encounter…

4 weeks ago

Best Practices: What’s Ahead for SBA Lending in 2026

Following its “do what you do” policy era, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has…

1 month ago