A prominent Auburn restaurant owner is facing serious heat after being accused of scamming the federal government out of COVID-19 relief funds. Cesar Campos-Reyes, 52, has surrendered to authorities after a multi-agency raid across his restaurant empire. Federal prosecutors claim Campos-Reyes cooked up false information to snag Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) meant to help businesses survive the pandemic. Instead of using the cash to keep his restaurants afloat, he allegedly spent it on unauthorized goodies. If convicted, he could be looking at a hefty prison sentence – up to 30 years! On Tuesday, law enforcement descended upon several El Patron Mexican restaurant locations across multiple counties, owned by Campos-Reyes. While he wasn't initially found, he later turned himself in. Things got even more complicated when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained 48 individuals at the restaurants, suspected of working without proper documentation. In addition, two people were arrested for allegedly harboring undocumented immigrants, and another for a controlled substance violation. This wasn't just a local bust! The operation involved a whole alphabet soup of agencies, from the FBI and DEA to Homeland Security and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, plus a ton of local police and sheriff's departments. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed the details, and the investigation is still ongoing. Stay tuned for updates, ChumCityzens!Local Restaurateur in Hot Water Over Alleged PPP Loan Fraud
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More Than Just Loan Fraud
A Massive Multi-Agency Operation
