By Tiffany Williams –
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Omar Rajeh, 57, of Hamden, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for defrauding COVID-19 pandemic relief programs of more than $750,000, announced David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill handed down the sentence Friday in Bridgeport, also ordering Rajeh to pay a $2,000 fine and serve two years of supervised release following his incarceration.
Rajeh is required to report to prison on October 1, 2025.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Rajeh fraudulently obtained funds through two pandemic-related federal relief programs established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act: the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
Rajeh had ownership or management ties to Mediterranea LLC, a New Haven-based restaurant, and M. Café Inc., a hookah lounge. Though he previously operated a restaurant under the name Al Amir LLC, that entity was legally dissolved in 2018. In July 2020, Rajeh re-registered Al Amir LLC with the State of Connecticut specifically to obtain pandemic relief funding.
Between June 2020 and May 2021, Rajeh and his businesses received more than $1.05 million in PPP and EIDL loans. The applications contained false information, including fraudulent claims that Al Amir LLC was operating as of February 2020, falsified employee and payroll data, and fabricated IRS tax forms.
Federal prosecutors say Rajeh used a majority of the funds for personal and family expenses, including the purchase of property in North Haven and money sent overseas. He also paid approximately 10 percent of the loan proceeds as kickbacks to his accountant, Yasir Hamed, who helped prepare the fraudulent paperwork.
Rajeh has agreed to pay $758,279 in restitution, the amount he acknowledged was fraudulently obtained. The federal government has agreed not to pursue repayment of an additional $298,965 that was awarded for his legitimate restaurant business operations.
Rajeh pleaded guilty on December 20, 2023, to one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions.
Yasir Hamed, Rajeh’s accountant, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2025, to related charges. He is currently awaiting sentencing.
This case is part of ongoing efforts by federal authorities to investigate and prosecute fraud tied to pandemic relief programs.