The SBA reports that a Fresno man, Gurjeet Bath, 37, has been sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for theft of government property related to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud. He was also ordered to pay a $100,000 criminal fine.
According to court documents, Bath obtained more than $1 million in PPP loans in 2020 and 2021 for two trucking businesses, G.S. Bath Inc. and Complete Transportation Solutions. To secure the loans, he falsified records by inflating employee numbers and wages.
Rather than using the funds to support payroll, Bath used the money to purchase agricultural land in Fresno County. In total, he fraudulently obtained more than $825,000 in federal funds.
Bath pleaded guilty in May 2025 and has since repaid the stolen funds, though authorities emphasized that repayment does not negate the seriousness of the offense.
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Officials noted that the sentence reflects ongoing efforts to hold individuals accountable for abusing pandemic relief programs intended to support legitimate businesses during a national crisis.