PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia man is accused of scamming companies out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by claiming he could sell them personal protective equipment during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, 26-year-old Gauravjit Singh claimed he could provide companies with medical gowns in May 2020 — a time when PPE was in short supply.
Singh told his victims he had manufacturing contacts in China and ensured they would receive the gowns.
Through his New Jersey-based business, Mask Medical LLC, Singh said he would be paid $7.125 million in exchange for 1.5 medical gowns.
The agreement required a 10% deposit. According to court documents, the victims wired Singh $712,500 through his New York-based business, GJS Solutions LLC. He even sent some of the victims false pictures and videos showing factory workers preparing the gowns, it said.
No gowns were ever delivered.
Authorities say he used those funds for personal expenses, like online gaming, credit card payments, a luxury car, travel, and $1,700 at a Thai restaurant in Florida.
Officials say he also transferred funds to his brokerage account.
Singh is charged with wire fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.