Woman Sentenced to Prison for $650,000 Crop Insurance Fraud Scheme

Jatinderjeet ‘Jyoti’ Sihota, 40, of Selma, California, was sentenced to one year in prison for her role in a large-scale crop insurance fraud scheme, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith. From 2012 through 2016, Sihota collaborated with Ralph Hackett, 69, of Clovis, to fraudulently obtain over $650,000 in crop insurance payouts by providing altered sales records that falsely indicated significant crop losses.

Sihota, who became active in her family’s grape and crop farming business, directed Hackett to modify the records and sought help from other brokers, who declined. Investigators found that the scheme was primarily her idea, with emails documenting her instructions and efforts to conceal the fraud.

The investigation was led by the USDA Office of Inspector General and the Risk Management Agency Special Investigations Staff. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton handled the prosecution. Hackett, who was charged separately, has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing, facing a potential maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.