Feds: Queens man sold stolen COVID-19 tests on his business website

A Queens man is accused of fraud for selling stolen COVID-19 tests on his health and nutrition website at a price of up to $200, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.

Henry Sylvain Gindt II, 34, is charged in a criminal complaint with mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, said Scott W. Brady, United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, in a news release.

Federal authorities will swiftly pursue action against anyone trying to scam Americans during the coronavirus pandemic, Brady said.

“Gindt tried to profit from the pandemic by selling stolen test kits and services without ever delivering the promised results. Instead, we shut him down and now he is facing prison time,” Brady said. “Let this be a message to anyone who wants to scam our fellow citizens during this pandemic: The Department of Justice will take swift action.”

Gindt could not be reached for comment late Thursday afternoon. It was not clear if he had an attorney. A man who answered a phone number believed to be Gindt's identified himself as the suspect's father. When asked if Gindt would be willing to speak to a reporter, the man said he had to hang up before adding that his son was innocent.

“Henry Jr. has not sold one single test," the man said, "and the situation should be exonerated.”

Gindt founded YouHealthInc., a website offering services in telemedicine, personalized nutrition and DNA genetics testing, according to the criminal complaint. He secured stolen test kits from a laboratory employee. Gindt would then advertise the stolen kits for between $135 to $200 on his YouHealthInc website as well as in unsolicited emails he sent to consumers in multiple states, prosecutors said.

“Gindt II sold the test kits to consumers — including in Western Pennsylvania — without any prior medical screening. Instead, once the testing kit services (including the nasal swabs used for collection and packaging to send to the lab) were ordered, Gindt would have them overnighted to consumers with a request to then complete a medical questionnaire to screen for COVID-19 symptoms.”

Consumers who purchased the tests never received any results, authorities said.