An Auburn restaurant owner has turned himself in after being accused of snagging pandemic relief funds under false pretenses and then using the dough for who-knows-what! Cesar Campos-Reyes, 52, is facing federal charges for allegedly misusing money from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Feds say he lied to get Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for his restaurants and then blew the cash on stuff he wasn't supposed to. If he's found guilty on all counts, he could be looking at a whopping 30 years behind bars. On Tuesday, law enforcement swarmed multiple El Patron Mexican restaurant locations owned by Campos-Reyes across several counties. While Campos-Reyes wasn't initially found, he later surrendered. Things got even more complicated when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained 48 individuals at the restaurants for allegedly working without proper documentation. Plus, three more arrests were made – two for allegedly harboring undocumented immigrants and one for a controlled substance violation. This wasn't just a small operation. Agencies involved included the FBI, DEA, HSI, ALEA, the Gulf of Mexico Homeland Security Task Force, ICE, CBP, the U.S. Marshals Service, and a whole host of state and local police departments and sheriff's offices. Sheesh! Douglas Howard from the U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed all the details. The investigation is still ongoing, so stay tuned for updates!Local Restaurateur in Hot Water Over COVID Relief Funds!
CARES Act Chaos?
Restaurant Raids and Arrests
More Than Just Financial Fraud
A Whole Lotta Law Enforcement
Official Word
