Chef At Santa Monica Restaurant Who Served Whale Meat Sentenced

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A chef who worked at a Santa Monica restaurant that illegally served whale meat has been sentenced.

City News Service says Susumu Ueda was sentenced Monday to probation, fined $5,000 and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service. He pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy and violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Ueda worked at The Hump at Santa Monica Airport. An investigation was launched after producers of the documentary "The Cove" secretly filmed meat from the federally protected sei whale being served at the sushi restaurant five years ago.

The restaurant closed.

The owner was sentenced last month to fines and probation.

Another chef and the whale meat supplier pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and await sentencing.

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