In New York arrested a fraudster who deceived those wishing to do a test on COVID-19
'08.05.2020'
Vita Popova
New Yorker selling stolen test kits for COVID-19 at a price of $ 200 each, but in the end, the buyers did not get any results because their material was not sent to the laboratory. The fraudster has already been arrested, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $ 250 thousand. This was reported by the newspaper. The New York Times.
34-year-old Henry Gindt II from New York is accused of fraud involving the sale of coronavirus tests that can be taken at home. It is reported that he stole tests and then sold to several clients. Buyers never got the results despite spending $ 200 on tests.
He sold the tests through his YouHealth website, which served as a cover for a fraudulent scheme, according to a lawsuit filed in the US District Court in Pittsburgh.
Gindt also claimed to have a relationship with a certified laboratory, which supposedly had to send test results to people. To do this, customers took a swab from the nose.
On the subject: Antibody test results: COVID-19 carried millions of people in New York
One of the victims in this scheme was a resident of Western Pennsylvania. He received an email from Mr. Gindt advertising a home test.
As a result, Gindt was charged with postal and electronic fraud and conspiracy to commit crimes, said Scott W. Brady, US Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He also warned that law enforcement officials are looking for fraudsters who crank up their schemes during an epidemic.
“Let this be a message to everyone who wants to deceive our fellow citizens during this pandemic: the Department of Justice will take prompt action to disrupt your scheme, and then we will arrest you,” Brady said.
Each of the charges against Gindt entails a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $ 250 thousand.
On May 7, the suspect appeared in the U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh, but was released on bail of $ 50 thousand.
A special agent for the US Secret Service claimed in the lawsuit that Mr. Gindt described himself as a “White House official” on the Medium online platform. Special agent Chase A. Clowser noted that he bought a home test kit from Gindt for $ 195 and tracked the kit to a laboratory in Georgia by batch number. The company’s chief executive told Clouser that the former lab’s chief executive had been fired for the unauthorized sale of 50 test kits, which he took without permission.
The former head of the laboratory was identified in the lawsuit only by his initials. The document said that he was the chief operating officer of the laboratory.
The same person was indicated on the FedEx account, which was used to send test suites ordered from Gindt to customers.
On April 7, the former CEO announced that he did not know anything about any tests stolen or sold without permission. He did not answer further questions.
No one has been charged with this case. A spokeswoman for the US Attorney's Office in Pittsburgh said the investigation is ongoing.
ForumDaily New York previously wrote that in New York, telephone scammers operate: they call National Grid's customers and try to lure them with money. The scam is aimed at people who have already encountered difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
