FBI Seizes Equipment from Ray Martinez's Restaurant Amid Federal Investigation

Federal agents executed a warrant at Don Felito’s Cookshop, seizing a kitchen hood system, wall panels, and other equipment as part of an investigation involving allegations of wire fraud and federal program bribery.

An early morning visit to the work site of Don Felito’s Cookshop, owned by former Police Commissioner Ray Martinez, by the Federal Bureau of Investigations on December 16 resulted in the removal of several pieces of kitchen equipment following the execution of a warrant that had been issued by the U.S. District Court days earlier.

An application for the warrant was made by an FBI special agent on December 5, stating that the Bureau had reason to believe that the equipment – a commercial kitchen hood, half height side curtains, a fire suppression system and stainless steel wall panels – was subject to civil seizure and forfeiture rules. The seizures were in connection with violations of federal laws against wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, and conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, the FBI alleges. However, although the warrant was unsealed after the items were seized, the special agent’s affidavit establishing probable cause is still not available to the public.