Orange County man sentenced to prison, used $5 million in PPP loans to buy luxury sports cars

Orange County man sentenced to prison, used $5 million in PPP loans to buy luxury sports cars

An Orange County man was sentenced to federal jail on Friday for applying tens of millions in fraudulent COVID-reduction financial loans to purchase luxurious sporting activities cars and trucks.

Mustafa Qadiri, 42, from Irvine, was sentenced to 4-and-a-fifty percent years in prison, fined $20,000 and requested to pay out $2,861,050 in restitution, in accordance to the U.S. Attorney’s Business.

Authorities say Qadiri fraudulently “obtained $5 million in COVID-aid financial loans for his sham enterprises, then made use of the dollars on himself, like getting Ferrari, Bentley and Lamborghini cars and trucks.”

The financial loans were being also utilized to fund lavish holidays and other private expenditures, officers reported.

  • Luxury vehicle seized from Mustafa Qadiri’s possession that authorities say was purchased using fake PPP loans. (U.S. Attorney’s Office)
  • This photo provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows a special agent with HSI Los Angeles's El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force seize a Ferrari from Orange County businessman Mustafa Qadiri on April 7, 2021, in Santa Ana, Calif. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP)
  • Luxury vehicle seized from Mustafa Qadiri’s possession that authorities say was purchased using fake PPP loans. (U.S. Attorney’s Office)
  • Luxury vehicle seized from Mustafa Qadiri’s possession that authorities say was purchased using fake PPP loans. (U.S. Attorney’s Office)

“Federal brokers seized the Ferrari, Bentley and Lamborghini vehicles that Qadiri ordered with the fraudulently acquired PPP loans, alongside with $2 million in ill-gotten gains from his financial institution account,” courtroom paperwork state.

Qadiri pleaded responsible in July 2021 to a person count of lender fraud, just one count of aggravated id theft and a single depend of cash laundering.

In May well and June of 2020, authorities say Qadiri submitted bogus Paycheck Protection Plan personal loan apps to 3 banking companies on behalf of four nonexistent Newport Seaside-dependent firms.

The programs incorporated altered financial institution information, sham tax returns and phony information about staff and their wages, according to courtroom paperwork. 

Qadiri also made use of anyone else’s title, Social Safety number and signature to implement for just one of the financial loans, prosecutors explained.

PPP financial loans were being designed to give money guidance to having difficulties businesses all through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Homeland Protection Investigations, the Little Small business Administration Workplace of Inspector Typical, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the circumstance as portion of the El Camino Serious Economic Crimes Undertaking Power.

Any person with details about tried fraud involving COVID-19 can report it to the Office of Justice’s Nationwide Centre for Catastrophe Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or on-line.