A Connecticut man has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison and was ordered to pay about $2.3 million in restitution for defrauding a COVID-19 pandemic relief program.
Yasir G. Hamed, 60, of Woodbridge faced sentencing on Monday in federal court in Bridgeport where a judge handed down a 32-month prison term followed by three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
The sentencing comes after he took a plea deal in May, when he pleaded guilty to bank fraud and engaging in illegal monetary transactions.
According to federal authorities, the fraud occurred between June 2020 and September 2021 when Hamed reportedly submitted fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of multiple companies with which he had an affiliation. Officials said the fraud reportedly involved overstating employee numbers and average monthly payroll, and making other phony representations. As part of the applications, he reportedly submitted false tax filings that had never been filed with the IRS, according to officials.
Hamed had an ownership interest or representative relationship with several New Haven-based businesses including Access Consulting and Professional Services Inc., Connecticut Medical Transportation Inc., Arabic Language Learning Program Inc., Institute for Global Educational Exchange Inc., Access Medical Transport Inc., Ikea Car & Limo Inc., Center of the World Tours, North America LLC and Sudanese American Friendship Association Inc., officials said.
Hamed, an accountant, also reportedly submitted PPP loan applications on behalf of companies owned by his clients. In at least one instance, officials said Hamed allegedly convinced the owner of a business that was not active and had no employees to seek PPP funding. Hamed reportedly prepared the paperwork for the application and then took a “significant portion” of the loan proceeds, authorities said.
Hamed reportedly obtained more than $2.3 million in PPP loans for his businesses and for his clients, according to federal officials. His cut reportedly totaled more than $1 million “for himself and his family, and significant kickbacks from his clients,” officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote in a statement.
Hamed reportedly used the money for personal expenses, including education expenses for a family member, and for a down payment on an $880,000 house in Woodbridge that he purchased in October 2020. Under the terms of the plea deal, he agreed to pay a little more than $2.3 million in restitution.
Hamed is free on a $500,000 bond and is required to report to prison on Jan. 28, 2026.
