A Mississippi corporation operating as Mary Mahoney’s Old French House restaurant in Biloxi has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to misbrand seafood and wire fraud, while its co-owner and manager, Anthony Charles Cvitanovich, 55, has also pleaded guilty to misbranding of seafood.
According to court documents, Mary Mahoney’s Old French House, Inc. pleaded guilty to a felony Information filed April 26, 2024, charging the corporation with conspiracy to misbrand seafood and wire fraud in connection with a scheme that began as early as 2002 and continued through November of 2019.
The scheme involved the fraudulent sale of fish by Mahoney’s and its wholesale supplier, which was described on Mahoney’s menu as premium higher-priced local species, such as snapper and grouper from the Gulf of Mexico, when the fish was actually other species from abroad, including Lake Victoria Perch from Africa, Triple Tail from Suriname, and Unicorn Filefish from India.
Cvitanovich admitted that between 2018 and 2019 alone, he was involved in mislabeling approximately 17,190 pounds of fish sold at the restaurant. Genetic testing of fish by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed the fraudulent scheme.
“When people spend their hard-earned dollars to enjoy the incredible local seafood on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, they should get what they paid for, not frozen fish from overseas,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi. “Mislabeling food and defrauding customers are serious crimes, and this case will help convince restaurants and seafood suppliers that it is not worth lying to customers about what is on the menu.”
Mary Mahoney’s Old French House, Inc. is scheduled to be sentenced on September 12, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years’ probation and a $500,000 fine, or not more than the greater of twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss, whichever is greater. Cvitanovich faces a maximum penalty of three years of prison and a $10,000 fine.
The Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations is investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones and Senior Trial Attorney Jeremy F. Korzenik of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee made the announcement, which highlights the seriousness of the crimes committed by the restaurant and its co-owner. The case serves as a reminder to restaurants and seafood suppliers that mislabeling food and defrauding customers is a serious offense that will not be tolerated.
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who put profits above public health. The case will also help to educate consumers about the importance of correctly identified seafood and the potential food safety hazards that can arise from mislabeling.
Related Federal Cases
- Mississippi Man’s $51M Healthcare Scam Exposed · Mississippi
- Visa & Marriage Scam: 12 Plead Guilty in MS · Mississippi
- Online Scam Kingpin Sentenced: Mississippi Fraud Ring Busted · Mississippi
- ‘White Boi’ Nabbed in $10M Treasury Check Scam · Mississippi
- Lonnie and Shelley Ray Charged in Illegal Seafood Conspiracy · Mississippi
Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News