A Long Island man was charged with violating the Defense Production Act on Friday by hoarding personal protective equipment and price-gouging customers, including organizations that needed the equipment to care for vulnerable populations, according to court documents.

Amardeep Singh, 45, of Woodbury, New York, is the first person to be charged under the Defense Production Act in connection with the coronavirus pandemic, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York.

A mannequin outfitted in personal protective equipment stands on a ladder in a Brentwood warehouse. Photo: A Bagnuola/US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York via AP A mannequin outfitted in personal protective equipment stands on a ladder in a Brentwood warehouse. Photo: A Bagnuola/U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York via AP

Prior to March, Singh sold shoes and apparel from his store in Plainview, New York, according to Friday's complaint. But he began to sell and advertise hand sanitizer and other items associated with coronavirus prevention in March, and an April 14 search of his store and warehouse revealed more than 20,000 N95 respirators, nearly 900,000 disposable gloves and thousands of other masks, face shields and "full-body isolation suits," according to the complaint.

Under the Defense Production Act of 1950, which was invoked by President Donald Trump in an executive order March 18, scarce and critical items cannot be hoarded or resold above the "prevailing market price."

Singh sold many items at a markup of at least 100% above the price at which he acquired them, according to the complaint; one type of disposable mask was resold for more than seven times the price he paid. His customers included nonprofits focused on children and senior citizens, according to the complaint.

The Nassau County Department of Consumer Affairs issued a series of citations to one of Singh's businesses in March, accusing him of "unconscionable trade practices," including repackaging individual N95 masks in Ziploc bags and selling protective gear without appropriate user instructions.

Another of Singh's businesses received a cease and desist letter from the New York Attorney General's Office in early April, warning him about price gouging.

Singh's lawyer, Bradley Gerstman of Gerstman Schwartz, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Singh is expected to self-surrender next week, a spokesman in the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The case has been assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven Locke, according to court records.

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