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CINCINNATI – Herman Brunis, 62, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 12 months and one day in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud. Brunis was also ordered to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution.

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.

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jon M. Hallford, 45, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,070,413.74 in restitution for a conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

A Middlesex County, New Jersey, woman admitted that she fraudulently obtained Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”), Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), and pandemic unemployment insurance benefits.

TONY STERLIN CANTAVE, 45, of Shelton, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven for defrauding a COVID-19 pandemic relief program.

A former Small Business Administration (SBA) employee who fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief money to spend on luxury items was sentenced on June 13.

A New Jersey man admitted to fraudulently obtaining approximately $617,991 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) and Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans.