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Jennifer L. Thurston to 14 months in prison for theft of government property, U.S.\u00a0Attorney Eric Grant announced. Bath was also ordered to pay a $100,000 criminal fine.<\/p>\nMarch 29, 2026 \u2013 FRESNO, CA \u2013 Gurjeet Bath, 37, of Fresno, was sentenced last Monday by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 14 months in prison for theft of government property, U.S.\u00a0Attorney Eric Grant announced. Bath was also ordered to pay a $100,000 criminal fine.<\/p>\n
Image by\u00a0Ray Shrewsberry \u2022 Ray_Shrewsberry<\/a>\u00a0from\u00a0Pixabay<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDuring a time when legitimate businesses were struggling to survive, this defendant chose to exploit a program designed to keep workers employed,\u201d said U.S.\u00a0Attorney Grant. \u201cHe has since pleaded guilty and repaid the stolen funds, but that does not erase the harm caused. Today\u2019s sentence reflects the seriousness of that fraud and our commitment to holding accountable those who abuse programs meant to help our communities in times of crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMr. Gurjeet Bath fabricated employee records and inflated wages to steal more than $825,000 in federal funds meant to keep businesses afloat during a national crisis. Instead, he used that money to buy land in Fresno County. The FBI and our partners at the SBA Office of Inspector General will continue pursuing everyone who treated pandemic relief as a personal slush fund,\u201d said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel.<\/p>\n