PORTLAND, Ore.—In a stunning revelation of financial chicanery during the pandemic, Bryan Ochoa Diaz, 32, of Tigard, Oregon, has pleaded guilty to money laundering charges. Diaz, owner of Casa Colima Vancouver, Inc., faces up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine for misappropriating $100,000 from a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan meant to aid his family-owned restaurant.
According to court documents, Diaz siphoned off the funds from the SBA’s $350,000 loan by transferring $100,000 into his parents’ personal account and then wiring it to a mortgage company for their home. The loan was intended solely for working capital to offset economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ochoa Diaz, also a reserve officer with the U.S. Coast Guard, has been charged with one count of money laundering. He made his initial appearance on September 5, 2025, and waived indictment by a grand jury. Today’s guilty plea comes after he paid back the full $350,000 to the SBA.
Scheduled for sentencing on December 15, 2025, Diaz is poised to receive the maximum penalty under federal law. The investigation into this case was led by the SBA Office of Inspector General and the Coast Guard Investigative Service, with prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Cardani and Meredith Bateman.
This incident underscores the necessity for vigilance in the allocation of COVID-19 relief funds. Any individuals with information regarding allegations of attempted fraud involving these funds are encouraged to contact the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Key Facts
- State: Oregon
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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