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Somerset County Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Orchestrating COVID-19 Fraud

Summary

A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey dated Wednesday, July 20, 2022, announcing that Guaravjit "Raj" Singh, 27, of Montgomery, New Jersey, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Peter G. Sheridan to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to an information charging one count of wire fraud. According to documents filed in the case, from May 2020 he induced 10 victims to send him over $2 million to obtain personal protective equipment, then kept the money and did not provide the equipment. The release states that the agreement called for Singh to be paid approximately $7.1 million for approximately 1.5 million medical gowns to be sourced to the city of New York. The release number is 22-274.

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Justice News

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Somerset County Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Orchestrating COVID-19 Fraud

TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 46 months in prison for orchestrating a $2 million COVID-19 fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Guaravjit “Raj” Singh, 27, of Montgomery, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence on July 20, 2021, in Trenton federal court.

According to documents filed in this 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 to enrich himself by fraudulently inducing 10 victims to send him over $2 million 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 Singh 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, though his company GJS Solutions LLC, $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.

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

U.S. 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.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Repole, Chief of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.

Topic(s):

Coronavirus

Component(s):

USAO - New Jersey

Press Release Number:

22-274

Updated July 21, 2022

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