NEW YORK (PIX11) — A Florida woman is facing serious charges after allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from low-income New Yorkers, officials said.
Guyatree Singh, 51, allegedly posed as a New York State employee working for SNAP, and called victims asking for their identifiable information, such as birthdates and social security numbers, according to the indictment. Singh then used their information to access their EBT cards and make purchases at grocery stores in Florida with the victim’s SNAP funds.
Prosecutors said that this scheme began in April 2019 through May 2023, and Singh defrauded at least 120 SNAP recipients, a majority of them who are older New Yorkers. The suspect stole at least $49,754.52 in benefits, officials said.
“Over the course of years, Guyatree Singh is alleged to have cheated at least approximately 120 low-income, primarily elderly residents of New York City. Singh allegedly preyed on some of the most vulnerable people in our community, leaving the victims with no money to buy food,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.
Singh, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft on Tuesday and could face up to 22 years in prison, according to state officials.
Charline Charles is a digital journalist from Brooklyn who has covered local news along with culture and arts in the New York City area since 2019. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.
