A restaurant owner and his son have been charged for their participation in a scheme to obtain more than 1.7 million dollars by filing fraudulent loan applications through Payroll Protection Program.
Izzat Freitekh and his son Tarik submitted fraudulent PPP applications on behalf of three companies: La Shish Kabob restaurant, Aroma Packaging Systems and Green Apple Catering, all in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In the case of Green Apple, the Freitekhs claimed that the company paid employees 4.8 million dollars in 2019, despite evidence that the company did not exist until March 2020.
The older Freitekh also lied to IRS agents and claimed that a company called Kyber Capital submitted the fake applications.
Of the 1.7 million dollars paid out to the Freitekhs, 1.3 million has been recovered by law enforcement. Both men face up to 30 years in prison and a million-dollar fine.
