Close X
Sunday, September 22, 2024
ADVT 
International

Indian Immigrant Sentenced To 9 Years In Prison For $25 Million-Dollar Fraud Scheme In US

Darpan News Desk, 03 Mar, 2017 11:22 AM
  • Indian Immigrant Sentenced To 9 Years In Prison For $25 Million-Dollar Fraud Scheme In US
The FBI caught hint of the scam after the group used images of fake passports, including one that featured Canadian actress Laura Vandervoort's image from a television show.
 
An Indian-American man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for a multi-million dollar fraud scheme.
 
Amit Chaudhry, 44, from Ashburn, Virginia, pleaded guilty on September 21 last year to identity theft, money laundering and visa fraud.
 
"I never really dreamt of being a felon. This is going to haunt me for the rest of my life," Chaudhry said in Alexandria federal court on Thursday before being sentenced, the Washington Post reported.
 
According to the report, Chaudhry, who emigrated from India in 1992, helped his relatives overseas to operate a multimillion-dollar scam that involved money laundering from stolen credit cards and identities through shell bank accounts.
 
He was also part of a related scheme, advertising cheap travel packages. Clients' money would be stolen and their hotel and airfare would be paid for with stolen credit cards.
 
They also made more than $25 million off fake credit cards with the help of a co-conspirator working at American Express in India, the Washington Post report said. 
 
 
The group also used images of fake passports.
 
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) uncovered the scheme in part when an agent recognised a photo in one passport as actress Laura Vandervoot. The photo was taken from a scene of her television show "V" involving visas.
 
"What we're dealing with here is not a casual wrong turn," said Jeffrey Abish, the chief information officer for the defrauded company ActioNet. 
 
Chaudhry sent inflated and imagined IT invoices to the company, netting $4.1 million that he has now pledged to repay, according to the report.
 
Defence attorney Danny Onorato told The Post that "this was all done out of family loyalty".
 
Onorato added that Chaudhry has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, which might help explain his behaviour.
 
However, Assistant US Attorney Katherine Wong protested Onorato's argument, saying: "Asperger's doesn't cause anyone to steal or open credit card accounts in someone else's name."
 
Chaudhry is cooperating with authorities, who are still finding more victims and tracking down co-conspirators in the US and abroad. 

MORE International ARTICLES

Man Admits Ripping Off Woman's Niqab In UK

Man Admits Ripping Off Woman's Niqab In UK
A 55-year-old British man today admitted in a UK court to ripping off a Muslim woman's niqab or full face veil in a shopping centre and yelling "you are in our country now".

Man Admits Ripping Off Woman's Niqab In UK

Donald Trump Should Levy Costs On Pak For Perpetuating Terror: US Thinktanks

Donald Trump Should Levy Costs On Pak For Perpetuating Terror: US Thinktanks
For too long, the US has given Pakistan a pass on its support for some terrorist groups based in Pakistan, including those used against India. 

Donald Trump Should Levy Costs On Pak For Perpetuating Terror: US Thinktanks

Melania Trump Says White House Could Mean Millions For Brand

Melania Trump Says White House Could Mean Millions For Brand
A spokeswoman for the first lady said the website was updated out of "an abundance of caution" and that the jewelry line is no longer available in any case.

Melania Trump Says White House Could Mean Millions For Brand

Indian-Origin Artist Anish Kapoor Wins 2017 Genesis Prize

Britain-based Indian-origin artist and human rights activist Anish Kapoor has been honoured with the 2017 Genesis Prize given by the Genesis Prize Foundation.

Indian-Origin Artist Anish Kapoor Wins 2017 Genesis Prize

Saudi Arabia Deports 39,000 Pakistanis In 4 Months: Report

Saudi Arabia Deports 39,000 Pakistanis In 4 Months: Report
  They said a number of Pakistanis were held in the crimes of drug trafficking, thefts, forgery and physical assault.

Saudi Arabia Deports 39,000 Pakistanis In 4 Months: Report

Doctor Removes 130-pound Tumour From Mississippi Man

Doctor Removes 130-pound Tumour From Mississippi Man
 A California doctor removed a 130-pound tumour from a Mississippi man who had been told by other physicians that he was just fat.

Doctor Removes 130-pound Tumour From Mississippi Man