AceShowbiz - Mauricio Umansky, a prominent real estate agent and husband of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Kyle Richards, has been sued for allegedly obtaining more than $3.5 million in fraudulent pandemic relief loans.

According to a complaint filed by Realtor LLC in July 2023, Umansky, 54, and his business partner, William "Billy" Rose, applied for and received two Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and CARES Act loans totaling $3,521,153 through their luxury real estate firm, The Agency.

The lawsuit alleges that The Agency falsified its financial situation and misrepresented its need for the loans, claiming the funds were necessary to support ongoing operations. However, the complaint argues that The Agency's profits actually increased significantly during the pandemic, rising from $6 billion in 2019 to $11.2 billion in 2021.

The loans were intended to help businesses prevent employee layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the lawsuit alleges that The Agency exceeded the loan limit, which was capped at 2.5 times the monthly salary of employees, with a maximum of $100,000 per employee.

The suit claims that The Agency's business grew during the pandemic due to its clientele of wealthy individuals who were largely unaffected by the economic downturn. It also alleges that Umansky and Rose later applied for and received full loan forgiveness, despite being aware of their ineligibility.

A representative for The Agency denied the allegations, stating that the company acted with integrity and faced challenges during the pandemic. However, Umansky's representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment.

The lawsuit seeks triple damages for the alleged fraud and asks the court to order the defendants to repay the loans with interest.