SANJOY BHATTACHARYA, age 56, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to one count of making false statements to an agency of the United States, announced U. S. Attorney Dana J. Boente.
According to court documents on or about Sept. 21, 2007, BHATTACHARYA applied for funds from the Louisiana Road Home Program claiming his primary residence at the time of the storm was at 2436-38 Joseph Street in New Orleans, a property he knew was leased to and inhabited by his tenants at time of Hurricane Katrina. As a result of his false statements in his application, BHATTACHARYA fraudulently received approximately $84,423 from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD"), an agency and department of the United States.
Upon sentencing scheduled for May 30, 2013, BHATTACHARYA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, a $250,0000 fine, restitution to the HUD, and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Julia K. Evans.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
