Federal prosecutors filed criminal charges Wednesday against Typhoon Restaurant Inc., the parent company of Santa Monica sushi restaurant Hump, with illegally selling Sei whale meat.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles also filed charges against Kiyoshiro Yamamoto, a 45-year old chef who lives in Culver City.

A representative from Hump declined to comment on the charges when called by the Business Journal.

According to the complaint, the Hump sold whale sushi to customers on three occasions in October. On two of the three occasions, the whale meat was tested by scientists who determined it was Sei whale. Also, receipts given to the Hump customers indicated that they had purchased whale, according to the complaint.

The sale of whale meat is prohibited in the United States by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Sei whales are listed as an endangered species. Charges of illegally selling a marine mammal product carry a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison, and a maximum fine of $200,000 per organization and $100,000 per individual.

Federal authorities began investigating Hump, a restaurant near the Santa Monica airport, after the filmmakers behind the Oscar-winning documentary “The Cove” did their own investigation and learned that the sushi restaurant was selling the Sei whale meat.

“Someone should not be able to walk into a restaurant and order a plate of an endangered species,” United States Attorney André Birotte Jr. said in a statement. “People should be aware that we will use these criminal statutes where appropriate to protect endangered species, including to ensure that they do not end up part of a meal.”