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Press Release

Former Maintenance Manager at Foster Farms Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit Mail Fraud

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California

FRESNO, Calif. — Surjit Toor, 61, of Hilmar, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit mail fraud in a scheme that defrauded Foster Farms of nearly $47,000, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

According to court documents, Surjit Toor was a maintenance manager at the Foster Farms processing plant in Livingston and was responsible for selecting third-party vendors to perform work at the plant. From February 2012 to April 2012, he conspired with his son, Raju Toor, 34, who ran a construction company, to bill Foster Farms for work that the construction company never performed. The falsely billed projects included the construction of an inspection catwalk and the modification of a large metal tank designed to hold ammonia. After fraudulently receiving payment from Foster Farms, Raju Toor transferred the majority of the funds back to his father.

As part of his plea agreement, Surjit Toor agreed to pay $46,979 in restitution to Foster Farms, which he provided to the court today. Raju Toor entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the United States, which was approved by the court on January 29, 2016. According to the agreement, if Raju Toor does not engage in any fraudulent conduct, does not commit any crime, and the restitution amount is paid by the time of the sentencing of Surjit Toor, then after a 12 month period, the United States will seek dismissal of the charges against Raju Toor in the indictment.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Grant B. Rabenn is prosecuting the case.

Surjit Toor is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Dale A. Drozd on May 16, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. Surjit Toor faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Updated February 8, 2016

Topic
Financial Fraud
Press Release Number: 1:14-cr-163-DAD