'No one hates a bad cop more than a good cop': Border Patrol officer arrested on federal wire-fraud charges

LOS ANGELES, CA— The fallout has been significant following the arrest of United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer Amer Aldarawsheh, 45, of Moreno Valley, CA. Aldarawsheh has been charged under a five-count federal grand jury indictment for wire fraud after allegedly defrauding American taxpayers for almost $150,000 in COVID-19 pandemic business-relief loan funds.

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Aldarawsheh was taken into custody by federal agents on Wednesday and was transported to arraignment at the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles where the CBP Officer pleaded not guilty on all charges. He has been released on a $30,000 bond and is scheduled to appear at the U.S. District Court in Riverside this June.
 

Federal law enforcement officer arrested for allegedly fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 business-relief loans for shell companies https://t.co/yPrIfzWjFZ

— US Attorney L.A. (@USAO_LosAngeles) April 24, 2025

The unsealed indictment revealed by the DOJ alleges that Aldarawsheh “owned and purportedly operated” Nahar Enterprises Inc., and Ameral, reportedly a trucking and freight company and an auto repair company, respectively.

Per the DOJ,

“From July 2020 to December 2021, Aldarawsheh made false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to fraudulently obtain a loan under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL), which provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters…”

“Aldarawsheh applied to the SBA for EIDL loans on behalf of his two companies, neither of which had substantial business or employees. EIDL loans were supposed to be used by the recipient to only pay certain authorized business expenses.   Instead, Aldarawsheh knowingly misappropriated and misused the EIDL funds he received from the SBA for his own personal benefit, including in December 2020, causing the transfer of $149,900 in SBA COVID-19 EIDL loan funds to be wired from the SBA to a bank account under his control.”

Under the federal wire fraud charges, Aldarawsheh is facing a maximum possible sentence of twenty years for each count.

Speaking with Law Enforcement Today in a statement on Sunday, Mathew Silverman, National President for the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said:

“No one hates a bad cop more than a good cop — a truth that strikes deep every time incidents like this happen. Since President Trump took office and built a team with leaders like Tom Homan, Secretary Noem, Director Lyons, and AG Bondi, we’ve witnessed a major shift: stronger borders, fewer illegal entries, a rise in law enforcement morale, and declining crime rates across the country.

But none of this is possible without the trust and support of our communities. When someone entrusted to uphold the highest standards commits fraud or abuse, it damages not just their reputation — it undermines the hard work and honor of every good officer and agent nationwide.”