CAMDEN, N.J. – A brazen swindle by a former Atlantic City Housing Authority Coordinator has been exposed, with the feds arresting 49-year-old Luquay Zahir of Atlantic City, New Jersey, on charges of making false statements to influence the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and wire fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Zahir fraudulently obtained more than $30,000 in COVID-19 relief funds through a Paycheck Protection Program loan and Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in 2020 and 2021. Zahir was the Coordinator for the Resident Opportunity and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) grant program for the Atlantic City Housing Authority and Urban Redevelopment Agency at the time.
The count of making false statements to influence the SBA carries a maximum potential penalty of two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The count of wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the arrest, crediting special agents of the FBI Newark Atlantic City Resident Agency under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; and special agents of SBA Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
Zahir is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal in Camden federal court and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office, is representing the government in this case.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and Zahir is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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