Indian American Entrepreneur Harendra Singh Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison in Long Island Bribery Case

Indian American entrepreneur Harendra Singh of Long Island, New York, was sentenced to four years in prison. He “repeatedly bribed” former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano in “a bid to keep his eateries afloat by securing $20 million in loan guarantees,” Newsday reported. 

Singh had owned at least 10 restaurants, including beach concessions in Oyster Bay. He was accused of “numerous counts of fraud and other crimes” related to bribing the officials with cash, vacations, furniture, car payments and campaign contributions, according to The New York Times.

He was also accused of evading taxes, including paying millions to workers off the books, and of lying to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to procure nearly a million dollars in disaster-relief funds after Hurricane Sandy.

During the July 26 sentencing, U.S. District Judge Joan Azrack called Singh, 64, “a one-man economic crime wave” for “the myriad financial crimes, including tax fraud, bribery and check kiting” that he admitted, the Newsday report said. 

The once-politically connected restaurateur turned government witness, Singh cooperated with federal prosecutors against former Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano, who is now serving 12 years in prison. He testified for 17 days over two trials. Azrack lauded his help in the case, noting that his “extraordinary” contribution” was “a saving grace.”

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Singh had pleaded guilty in 2016 to federal charges that he bribed Mangano, who was once a powerful figure in local Republican politics. Singh was friends with him and his wife, Linda Mangano.

Singh is to begin his sentence in January. He is also sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay $22,824,082.54 in restitution — $25 monthly while in custody and 10% of his gross monthly income after he is released.