Florida Woman Sentenced To 42 Months In Prison For Defrauding Snap Recipients

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that GUYATREE SINGH was sentenced to 42 months in prison in connection with a years-long scheme to defraud at least approximately 120 low-income residents of New York City out of tens of thousands of dollars of their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) benefits.  SINGH previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who also imposed this sentence, to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Guyatree Singh stole SNAP benefits from at least approximately 120 low-income, primarily elderly, residents of New York City, leaving the victims without money to buy food.  By preying on those using their benefits for basic needs for survival, Singh showed there was no line she would not cross for a quick buck.  This sentence demonstrates this Office’s commitment to ensuring that our justice system protects everyone from fraud, especially the most vulnerable New Yorkers.” 

According to the Indictment and other filings and statements made in court:

From at least in or about April 2019 through at least May 2023, SINGH engaged in a scheme to defraud at least approximately 120 SNAP recipients living in the Southern District of New York — a majority of whom appear to be elderly — of their SNAP benefits.  In total, SINGH defrauded the victims out of approximately $51,868.39 in benefits. 

SNAP provides low-income individuals with electronic benefits that can be used like cash to purchase food.  People eligible for SNAP benefits are given an electronic benefits transfer (“EBT”) card, which looks like a debit card and gives a person access to his or her SNAP benefits, allowing the SNAP recipient to buy groceries and other items at participating stores. 

SINGH called SNAP recipients and pretended to be a New York State employee working for SNAP.  SINGH then asked the victims for their personally identifiable information, including their dates of birth and social security numbers.  Unbeknownst to the victims, SINGH then used this information to reset the personal identification numbers (“PIN”) on their EBT cards.  Once the PINs were reset, SINGH used the victims’ EBT account numbers and new PINs to make purchases for herself at grocery stores in Florida using the victims’ SNAP funds. 

In addition to her prison term, SINGH, 51, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $51,868.39 and forfeit the same amount.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Department of Investigation and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.