COVID fraud: Indian American jailed for 4 years

A 27-year-old Indian-origin man has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison for orchestrating a $2m scheme that defrauded victims by making false promises to them in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guaravjit ‘Raj' Singh of Montgomery, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before US District Court Judge Peter Sheridan to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud.

Sheridan imposed the 46-month sentence on July 20 in Trenton federal court, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court, from May 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Singh engaged in a scheme to defraud and personally benefit by fraudulently inducing 10 victims to send him over $2m to obtain personal protective equipment (PPE) and then stealing the money and not providing the PPE to the victims as promised.

Singh induced victims to enter into an agreement pursuant to which he would be paid approximately $7.1 million for approximately 1.5 million medical gowns, which ultimately were to be sourced to the city of New York amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The victims wired Singh $712,500, representing a 10 percent initial deposit for the medical gowns.

After receiving these funds from the victims, Singh made additional misrepresentations and excuses to the victims, ensuring them that they would receive the medical gowns.

Instead of purchasing and delivering medical gowns, Singh used the funds for personal expenses.

Besides the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Singh to three years of supervised release.

US Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and intelligence analysts of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.