LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A former Nye County commissioner was indicted by a federal grand jury in Las Vegas on allegations he fraudulently obtained more than $500,000 in COVID-19 relief funds for his Pahrump restaurant.
Leonardo F. Blundo, the owner and operator of Carmelo’s Bistro, is accused of submitting false applications between March 2020 and September 2021 for SBA programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, and Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), according to court documents.
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Prosecutors allege Blundo inflated the restaurant’s revenue, payroll, and employee count and submitted false documentation.
He is charged with five counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering.
His initial appearance is scheduled for March 24, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts.
If convicted, Blundo faces up to 120 years in prison, supervised release, fines and special assessments.
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