4 days ago
Long Island man accused of trying to hire hitman to kidnap, torture, kill a former business associate
A Long Island man allegedly plotted to hire a hitman to kidnap, torture and kill a former business associate, prosecutors said Monday.
Navdeep Singh, 48, of Dix Hills, faces conspiracy and criminal solicitation charges. Prosecutors say he promised the person he believed was a hitman $100,000 and 10 acres of land to kidnap the victim, take him out of state, torture him, extort him for millions, and eventually kill him.
Prosecutors say Singh was in a lengthy civil lawsuit with a former business associate that Singh now wanted killed. Singh's company, Gravity Construction Corp., had allegedly been removed from a job the alleged victim of the plot had been managing.
Police allege Singh was in touch with another co-conspirator repeatedly from May 29 to June 3 to discuss the alleged plot.
Prosecutors say Singh went so far as to take pictures of the victim's home and vehicle and sent them to the would-be hitman. They also allege he bought a number of burner phones, and paid the would-be hitman a $7,000 down payment during a meeting to discuss the plot.
Singh was arrested Saturday as he was again driving near the victim's home, according to authorities.
One of the burner phones allegedly purchased as part of the murder-for-hire plot.
Nassau County DA's office
"It is unfathomable"
"The allegations against Navdeep Singh are deeply disturbing. Because of a years-long dispute with a former business associate and multi-million dollar pending civil litigation between their two construction companies, this defendant allegedly decided to hatch a plot to have his rival kidnapped and murdered," Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly said. "Singh was allegedly willing to pay $100,000 and give his would-be hitman 10 acres of land in India to brutally torture, extort, and eventually kill his former colleague. It is unfathomable the lengths to which this defendant was allegedly willing to go."
"This was a very dangerous situation," Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said. "Thanks to the hard work of our District Attorney Squad working in partnership with DA Anne Donnelly and her tenacious prosecutors we prevented what would have been a tragedy: settling a business dispute with murder."
Singh's bail was set at $1 million in cash or $2 million bond. He's due back in court Tuesday. He faces up to 25 years in prison, if convicted.
