Sushi Restaurant Owners Convicted Of Fraud For Faux Lobster

(AP) - A number of San Diego sushi restaurant owners have been convicted of fraud after investigators found their lobster rolls were fishy.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that investigators with the City Attorney's consumer and environmental protection unit purchased lobster rolls at restaurants and sent them for DNA testing only to find there was no lobster to be had. Instead the rolls were filled with less expensive seafood such as crawfish or pollock.

Prosecutors say the owners and operators of eight restaurants pleaded guilty to violating a state law that prohibits the misbranding of food items. The defendants paid a combined $14,000 in fines and more than $5,000 to reimburse investigative costs.