Senior citizen helps Ulster police bust scammers, suspects caught after chase
Police say the victim was contacted by someone posing as a “Federal Inspector General.”
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Two men are facing felony charges after police say they tried to scam a senior citizen out of $26,000 in Ulster County — and led officers on a pursuit this week that ended with a collision involving an unmarked detective vehicle.
The case began on Sept. 19, when police say the victim was contacted by someone posing as a “Federal Inspector General.” Investigators say she acted quickly and notified authorities, who immediately launched an investigation. The scammer allegedly told her to withdraw a large sum of cash and hand it over to an “undercover agent” to avoid criminal charges.
Plainclothes Ulster Police detectives went with the woman as she withdrew the money on Monday and went to a preset meeting location arranged by the suspects. There, 27-year-old Jaspreet Singh Gill allegedly took possession of the package and was immediately arrested.
Police say his alleged accomplice, 30-year-old Karanveer Singh, was waiting in a nearby getaway car and tried to flee. During the attempt, Singh allegedly struck an unmarked detective’s vehicle and nearly hit two detectives before leading officers on a chase through Kingston, the Town of Ulster, and onto the New York State Thruway. He was ultimately taken into custody near the Newburgh exit.
News 12 obtained a photo of the scene showing the heavy law-enforcement response following the pursuit.
Both suspects face felony charges of Scheme to Defraud and Attempted Grand Larceny as a hate crime for allegedly targeting elderly victims. The alleged driver is also charged with Reckless Endangerment and several misdemeanors, including unlawful fleeing a police officer and resisting arrest. Gill faces additional charges of Conspiracy and resisting arrest.
Both men were processed and taken to the Ulster County Jail to await arraignment. Police say the investigation was assisted by the City of Kingston Police Department, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office.
