On what was supposed to be the opening day of his federal trial in Maryland, Eric Tano Tataw of Gaithersburg abruptly switched course and pleaded guilty to bank fraud tied to Paycheck Protection Program loans from the Pandemic era. Prosecutors say Tataw admitted scheming to obtain more than $160,000 by padding payroll numbers, inventing employees and submitting bogus financial records. His plea wraps up the PPP loan case but leaves a separate federal indictment accusing him of backing violent separatists in Cameroon still hanging over him.

According to the Daily Voice, Tataw also acknowledged trying to cover his tracks by giving a witness fake earnings statements and pressing her to alter tax records. That same reporting notes the bank fraud charge alone carries a potential sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison.

Separatist Indictment Still Pending

Federal prosecutors say the guilty plea comes while Tataw remains under an April 2025 federal indictment that accuses him of conspiring to provide material support to armed separatist fighters in Cameroon, according to the Department of Justice. That indictment alleges he helped raise more than $110,000 to arm militants known as the “Amba Boys” and used social media to call for kidnappings, killings and mutilations, a practice prosecutors say he referred to as “Garriing” while styling himself the “Garri Master.”

Investigators say the alleged campaign focused on civilians the conspirators believed were cooperating with the Cameroonian government, and that the fundraising efforts and online calls for violence drew tens of thousands of views, per ICE. Local coverage and court filings first highlighted Tataw’s social media posts and neighborhood complaints as the federal cases came to light.

Legal Implications

Bank fraud is treated as a serious federal crime. Justice Department guidance on 18 U.S.C. § 1344 explains that a conviction can bring up to 30 years in prison along with significant fines, according to the Justice Department. The separate material-support conspiracy alleged in the April 2025 indictment carries its own maximum penalties under the specific statutes cited by prosecutors.

What’s Next

With Tataw’s guilty plea on the PPP-related bank fraud charge now entered, a sentencing hearing will be scheduled, and the Cameroon-related indictment continues to move forward in federal court. The timing for sentencing and any further proceedings will be set on the court’s docket, and prosecutors and defense attorneys have so far stuck to the filings and official statements already made public.