CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dino Crnalic, 33, has been slammed with federal charges for orchestrating a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme that bilked the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and others out of over $800,000, according to Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The arrest came on Friday, August 21, 2020, and Crnalic faced federal court today.
Crnalic, who allegedly aimed to open a sushi restaurant and fitness center in Charlotte, is accused of executing several fraudulent schemes between July 2017 and November 2019. He reportedly secured SBA-backed loans by submitting falsified documents and making numerous false statements, including stealing the identity of an individual identified as C.P.
The indictment claims Crnalic siphoned off over $800,000 for personal expenses such as trips to casinos and luxury vehicle payments. His business entities included Suki Sushi LLC (Suki), Suki Akor LLC (Akor) and Surge Fitness Centers, LLC (Surge).
In 2016, Crnalic reportedly began applying for loans for the proposed sushi restaurant, using fraudulent documents to obtain an SBA-backed loan. He also secured an SBA line of credit with forged signatures, including C.P.’s name, and falsified United States Passport.
The defendant is accused of spending a portion of the loan proceeds on personal expenses, such as gambling and rent in Uptown Charlotte. Crnalic’s actions were halted by U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer during the hearing.
This case marks another blow to financial fraud schemes in North Carolina, with federal authorities working tirelessly to protect taxpayers from such crimes.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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