BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A Rutherford man who fraudulently obtained approximately $670,000 in pandemic relief funds received his sentence on Wednesday, officials said.
Malak Faltawws, 49, pleaded guilty in federal count to two counts of an indictment charging wire fraud and money laundering, officials said Thursday.
U.S. District Court Judge Evelyn Padin sentenced him to 24 months in prison, said the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 2020 through November 2021, Faltawws fraudulently obtained approximately $670,292 inemergency relief funds, which included loans and cash advances meant for distressed small businesses under federal programs.
He submitted false and fraudulent applications, inflating his businesses' revenue, payroll expenses, and number of employees, officials said.
He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and to pay restitution in the amount of $670,292 and a fine of $10,000, officials said.
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