Syracuse, N.Y. — A health food chain that got its start in Clay has agreed to pay about $7.8 million after making false statements to obtain a COVID-19 pandemic relief grant.

CoreLife Eatery operated too many restaurants to be eligible for grants from the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund, according to a settlement agreement released Monday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.

CoreLife leaders repeatedly said in a grant application that the company did not own or operate more than 20 locations in March 2020, according to the agreement. It had 29 stores in five states at the time.

The company had sought to tap into a $28.5 billion fund designed to provide restaurants with grants equal to revenue losses caused by the pandemic. The fund was created in early 2021 as part of then-President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act.

CoreLife will now pay the government double the $3,904,687 it was given — once as restitution, and again as a fine.

The discrepancy was first reported to the government last year by Zachary Howitt as a whistleblower under the False Claims Act. He stands to get about $1.17 million under the settlement agreement.

CoreLife opened its first location in May 2015 on Buckley Road in Clay. It now has 36 restaurants, according to the company website.

Staff writer Jon Moss covers breaking news, crime and public safety. He can be reached at [email protected] or @mossjon7.

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