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NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DENT HUNTER (“HUNTER”), age 46, of New Orleans, was sentenced on July 8, 2025 to five years of probation by U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion after HUNTER pleaded guilty to both making false statements, and money laundering, related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

The defendants allegedly fraudulently obtained more than $2 million in small business loans.

OMAR RAJEH, 57, of Hamden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 15 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for defrauding COVID-19 pandemic relief programs of more than $750,000. Judge Underhill also ordered Rajeh to pay a $2,000 fine.

A former Wells Fargo & Co. banker and his brother have been arrested on an eight-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they schemed to fraudulently obtain more than $2.7 million in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 relief funds and federally-guaranteed small business loans, including by submitting applications using the stolen identities of developmentally disabled persons who lived in long-term care facilities, the Justice Department announced today.

BOSTON – Azumi, LLC; Zuma NYC, LLC; Zuma Las Vegas, LLC; Zuma Japanese Restaurant Miami, LLC; Inko Nito Garey St., LLC; and Beach Chu Hallandale, LLC (collectively, the “Azumi Entities”) have agreed to pay $3,602,423 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible.

DARREN CARLYLE SADLER participated in a scheme to fraudulently apply for Paycheck Protection Program loans.

Tiffanie Foster, 48, Kansas City, Mo., charged with two counts of wire fraud for fraudulently receiving pandemic funds in the form of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and unemployment benefits.