Close X
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
ADVT 
International

Indian Hotelier In US Indicted For Bribery, Fraud

Darpan News Desk IANS, 10 Sep, 2015 12:33 PM
    A prominent Indian-American hotelier has been indicted on several criminal charges, including bribing a former government official and committing a disaster relief fraud, authorities said.
     
    Harendra Singh, 56, was arrested on Wednesday for running his businesses "through fraud and deceit, using bribes and kickbacks to tilt the playing field in the town of Oyster Bay," the US attorney's office said in a statement.
     
    The charges brought against the Indian-origin businessman include federal programme bribery, fraud conspiracy, disaster relief fraud, conspiracy to defraud the US government, obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence, according to the federal indictment.
     
    "The charges alleged in today's (Wednesday's) indictment describe an outpouring of greed. As alleged, Singh put local business owners at a significant disadvantage, siphoned funds from public money he was not entitled to, and sidestepped his responsibility to pay taxes on underreported income," FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Diego Rodriguez was quoted as saying.
     
    Singh owned and operated his restaurant and food business in New York state's Nassau county and was awarded agreements with the town of Oyster Bay.
     
    The indictment charged Singh of paying bribes and kickbacks to a town official in exchange for his assistance in obtaining the town's guarantee of two loans worth about $20 million.
     
    As a result, were Singh's entities to default on the loans, the town would be responsible for repaying the lender the entire amount of the loan.
     
    The indictment also alleged that Singh fraudulently under-reported to the Internal Revenue Service the true amount of money certain of his entities earned and the wages he paid his workers, "thereby lowering significantly the federal taxes he and his businesses owed and paid".
     
    If convicted, Singh faces imprisonment and his properties can be forfeited.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Indian Media In New Zealand In Soup Over 'Witch Doctor' Ads

      Thakur Ranjit Singh filed the complaint, on behalf of the Indian Media Watch New Zealand, over ads placed in various newspapers

    Indian Media In New Zealand In Soup Over 'Witch Doctor' Ads

    Seven Indians On Forbes Asia's List Of Philanthropists

    Seven Indians On Forbes Asia's List Of Philanthropists
    They highlight some of the region's most noteworthy givers from 13 countries across Asia Pacific.

    Seven Indians On Forbes Asia's List Of Philanthropists

    Former Centerra CEO Leonard Homeniuk Detained Again In Bulgaria Over Kyrgyz Corruption Allegations

    Former Centerra CEO Leonard Homeniuk Detained Again In Bulgaria Over Kyrgyz Corruption Allegations
    The company says Homeniuk was apprehended in late July while on vacation with his family at the request of Kyrgyzstan.

    Former Centerra CEO Leonard Homeniuk Detained Again In Bulgaria Over Kyrgyz Corruption Allegations

    Man Fires Shot At 'Billu's Indian Eatery' In Australia

    Man Fires Shot At 'Billu's Indian Eatery' In Australia
    An Indian restaurant in a suburb here witnessed gunfire when an unidentified gunman fired a shot, a media report said.

    Man Fires Shot At 'Billu's Indian Eatery' In Australia

    J.P. Morgan Securities Analyst Ashish Aggarwal Charged With Insider Trading

    J.P. Morgan Securities Analyst Ashish Aggarwal Charged With Insider Trading
    A young Silicon Valley investment banker of Indian descent and two of his friends have been charged with insider trading in a scheme that allegedly netted them more than $600,000, Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell announced Tuesday.

    J.P. Morgan Securities Analyst Ashish Aggarwal Charged With Insider Trading

    US Court Rejects Sikhs For Justice's Case Against Sonia Gandhi In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots

    US Court Rejects Sikhs For Justice's Case Against Sonia Gandhi In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots
    Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) filed a lawsuit in 2013 against Sonia Gandhi for allegedly shielding and protecting Congress party leaders accused of inciting violence against the Sikhs

    US Court Rejects Sikhs For Justice's Case Against Sonia Gandhi In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots