A Selma woman who owns a fruit packing company was convicted of crop insurance fraud.
U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert announced that Jatinderjeet “Jyoti” Sihota, 37, pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiring to commit crop insurance fraud.
Driving the news: Court records show that Sihota’s family farming operation produced table grapes and other crops in Fresno and Tulare Counties.
- The family sold many of its crops through a fruit packing company where Ralph Hackett, 69, was a member and manager. The family entered into financial agreements with the fruit packing company where various costs were advanced and covered, with the family owing the fruit packing company back by a certain date.
The big picture: Sihota became involved with the farming operation in 2012 and carried out a fraud scheme with Hackett from 2012 through 2016 to obtain over $650,000 in crop insurance payments that they were not entitled to.
- Sihota and Hackett underreported the amount of crops the farming operation sold through the fruit packing company to make it appear as though the farming operation had suffered significant crop losses.
- Hackett was separately charged and pleaded guilty for his role in the fraud scheme. He has agreed to pay restitution of $650,000 and a separate civil settlement of $605,000.
What we’re watching: Sihota is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2025, with Hackett’s sentencing coming earlier on Jan. 27, 2025.
- They both face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
What they’re saying: “The USDA OIG is committed to combatting crop insurance fraud through criminal investigations and civil enforcement,” said USDA OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Dionida. ”Fraudulent activity within the crop insurance program undermines its intent and misdirects taxpayer dollars from where they were intended. We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California for pursuing justice until these conspirators were held accountable.”
