Springfield restaurant owner pleads guilty to fraud relating to loans

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS) — A Springfield restaurant owner pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony in connection with wire fraud and false statements on loan applications.

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Omar Hernandez-Lopez, 39, pleaded guilty on April 1.

Hernandez-Lopez admitted that starting around June 2018 and continuing until at least June 2019, he concealed the fraudulent nature of several falsified documents that were submitted to loan providers.

Two fraudulent loan packages were submitted in an attempt to obtain a business loan for Hernandez-Lopez’s restaurant, La Fiesta Grande.

The other two fraudulent loan packages were submitted in a successful attempt to obtain a home mortgage loan. Hernandez-Lopez was aware of the submission of fraudulent documents and took steps to conceal their fraudulent nature from the loan companies and law enforcement.

Hernandez-Lopez remains free pending sentencing.

Hernandez-Lopez faces the following statutory penalties: not more than 3 years in prison, not more than a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and restitution in an amount ordered by the Court.

Sentencing for Hernandez-Lopez is scheduled for August 29, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.