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A New York man has become the first person to face federal charges over hoarding and price-gouging scarce medical supplies since President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act last month in response to the coronavirus pandemic.



According to a complaint filed by prosecutors in federal court on Friday, Amardeep Singh, 45, had been hoarding face masks, face shields, surgical gowns, and disinfecting products at a Long Island warehouse and selling them at inflated prices.

Among the people Singh allegedly price-gouged were particularly vulnerable organizations, including the Association to Benefit Children, the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens, and Rewarding Environments for Adult Living.

On March 18, Trump signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to make it illegal to acquire scarce medical supplies in order to hoard them or sell them at excessive prices.

The Defense Production Act allows the government to control the distribution of items deemed essential to the national defense and creates criminal penalties for those found to be hoarding or price-gouging those items.

If convicted, Singh faces up to a year in prison.

Bradley Gerstman, Singh's attorney, denies that his client price-gouged anyone.

"This is a man trying to make a living," Gerstman told BuzzFeed News. "He'd never gouge. He's a family man who has run a store for people in the community for 25 years. He's got three young daughters, and we're going to plead not guilty and then we will show by way of evidence that our client has done nothing wrong."

Federal officials accused Singh of un-American behavior during "challenging times."

“During a crisis of this magnitude, we must come together as a country to fight this common enemy," said Philip R. Bartlett with the US Postal Inspection Service. "Unfortunately, Mr. Singh allegedly chose to use this opportunity to make money by hoarding and price-gouging [personal protective equipment]. The conduct charged in the complaint is reprehensible and against our most fundamental American values.”

