NJ Doctor Sentenced to 27 Months for Harboring Undocumented Workers and Tax Fraud

Dr. Harsha Sahni of Tinton Falls also ordered to pay over $900,000 in restitution and medical expenses

A Monmouth County physician, Dr. Harsha Sahni, 68, of Tinton Falls, New Jersey, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for harboring two undocumented workers from India and failing to pay taxes on their wages, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. The sentencing was delivered by U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton.

Sahni pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conceal and harbor undocumented workers and to filing a false tax return. According to case documents and court statements, Sahni, along with others, harbored two Indian nationals between 2013 and August 2021, recruiting them to work in her home and compensating their families in India instead of paying the workers directly. Sahni allegedly coerced the workers to avoid law enforcement, warning they could face deportation, and directed them to claim a familial relationship with her when questioned by others. Sahni also reportedly used false names and addresses to support the scheme and did not pay employment taxes for these workers from 2013 to 2019.

In addition to her prison term, Sahni has been sentenced to two years of supervised release and is required to pay restitution totaling $728,327. Judge Castner also ordered Sahni to cover up to $200,000 for specific medical expenses incurred by the victims.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, leading to Sahni's sentencing. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.