False Claims Act Lawsuits Filed Against Two Individuals for Fraudulently Obtaining Pandemic Relief Funds

PORTLAND, Maine: The U.S. Attorney’s Office today filed lawsuits against two individuals alleging they fraudulently applied for and received CARES Act pandemic relief funds:

•    Ahmed Suja, of South Portland, is alleged to have fraudulently applied for and received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in the amount of $20,833.

•    Kamil Suja, also of South Portland, is alleged to have fraudulently applied and received a PPP loan in the amount of $20,832.

As alleged in each of the complaints, the defendants misrepresented that they each owned and operated sole proprietorships with annual gross revenues of approximately $100,000. In reality, neither defendant owned any business. As alleged in the complaint against Kamil Suja, Kamil Suja used the PPP loan funds on a variety of non-qualifying expenditures, such as the purchase of a car and to fund securities purchases on an online trading platform. 

The complaints against Ahmed and Kamil Suja were brought by the United States pursuant to the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA). The FCA provides that any person who “knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval” or “knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim” is liable to the United States for three times the amount of damages that the United States sustains, plus a civil penalty for each FCA violation. For FCA violations assessed after July 3, 2025, the minimum penalty per violation is $14,308.

FIRREA provides that the Attorney General may recover civil penalties against persons who knowingly make a false statement for the purpose of influencing a decision by the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration or to obtain a loan, money, or anything of value under the SBA’s 7(a) program, including the PPP. For FIRREA violations assessed after July 3, 2025, the maximum penalty per violation is $2,513,215.   

The complaints filed by the United States are a result of the District of Maine’s ongoing efforts to identify and investigate fraudulently obtained pandemic relief funds. Recent amendments to federal law have extended the statute of limitations for civil and criminal fraud enforcement actions concerning PPP loans and other CARES Act pandemic relief funds from six to 10 years.

The civil actions are docketed United States v. Suja, 2:25-cv-00576-SDN (D. Me.); and United States v. Suja, 2:25-cv-00577-SDN (D. Me.).

The claims asserted against the defendants are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

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