An Indian-origin man in California has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for defrauding the government’s Paycheck Protection Program Loan. 37-year-old Gurjeet Bath has also been ordered to pay a $100,000 criminal fine. Bath applied for this loan, which was made available to small business owners to cope with the pandemic loss, so that they could pay their employees’ salaries. Bath inflated the salaries of his employees and submitted false records to get $1 million loan.
According to court documents, Bath then used those funds to purchase two parcels of agricultural land in Fresno County.
Bath had two trucking businesses in his and his family members’ names: G.S.
Bath Inc. and Complete Transportation Solutions (CTS), operating in Fresno County. In 2020 and 2021, Bath applied for and received three PPP loans totaling more than $1 million. To obtain the loans, Bath knowingly falsified records to inflate his businesses’ employees and their wages. Bath then used those funds to purchase two parcels of agricultural land in Fresno County.
Bath pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025, but that did not erase the harm he caused, US Attorney Eric Grant said as he announced the sentence.
“During a time when legitimate businesses were struggling to survive, this defendant chose to exploit a program designed to keep workers employed,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “He has since pleaded guilty and repaid the stolen funds, but that does not erase the harm caused. Today’s 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.”
“Mr 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,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel.
