3 Long Islanders among 9 NYers who admit to stealing COVID-19 relief funds

Nine New Yorkers, including three from Long Island, have pleaded guilty to defrauding the state’s COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant programme. The guilty pleas, entered in Queens Supreme Court between May 2025 and February 2026, involve grand larceny and petit larceny charges.

Pandemic Relief Fraud on Long Island

The Long Islanders involved are Tanvir Milon, 55, of Farmingdale; Juned Khan, 56, of Deer Park; and Nadeem Sheikh, 56, of New Hyde Park. They, along with six residents of Queens, submitted applications for grants using fictitious or closed businesses to illegally obtain funds intended to help small businesses survive the pandemic.

Did You Know? The state has already recovered $760,000 of the nearly $1.1 million in restitution ordered from the nine defendants.

Tanvir Milon was ordered to pay $280,512 in restitution after investigators found he stole that amount through claims for nine fraudulent businesses. He is also accused of defrauding the federal COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan programme of more than $2.5 million. Juned Khan was ordered to pay $70,000, and Nadeem Sheikh was ordered to pay $46,208.

Expanding Investigation

This case is part of a broader state effort to recover pandemic grant funds awarded to over 100 businesses and arts groups that were not eligible for the financial relief. A June 2025 audit by the state Comptroller’s office revealed that nearly $4.1 million in grant funds from the $800 million Recovery Grant programme were incorrectly awarded to 101 entities, 17 of which were on Long Island.

Expert Insight: The fraudulent claims highlight the challenges of rapidly distributing large sums of public money during a crisis, and the need for robust oversight to prevent abuse of emergency relief programmes.

The defendants submitted multiple applications, claiming the grants were needed for expenses such as payroll, rent, utilities, and supplies, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. The COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant programme was designed to help small enterprises cover these costs following the economic impact of the pandemic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What charges did the defendants plead guilty to?

The nine defendants pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the fourth degree and petit larceny in Queens Supreme Court.

How much restitution has been ordered in this case?

Nearly $1.1 million in restitution has been ordered from the nine defendants.

What was the purpose of the grant programme?

The COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant programme was created to help small enterprises cover the cost of wages, overhead and personal protective equipment for employees.

It remains to be seen whether additional individuals may be implicated in similar schemes, and whether the state will be successful in recovering all of the misappropriated funds.