Indian national pleads guilty in multi-million dollar call centre scam in US
Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 May, 2023 12:05 PM
New York, May 18 (IANS) A 28-year-old Indian citizen has entered a guilty plea in a years-long international conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud that saw millions of dollars being extorted from hundreds of victims in the US.
Zaheen Malvi, who was illegally residing in Heber Springs, Arkansas, assisted Indian call centres in the telemarketing scheme scam, US Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Alamdar S. Hamdani announced.
"The Indian call centres perpetrating these scams are relentless," said Hamdani.
"They prey on the fears and insecurities of the most vulnerable among us, such as the elderly. But we are relentless too. Today, one more criminal is finally held to account for the many years he helped funnel money from victims into the pockets of overseas scammersaand tomorrow, we keep working."
The court noted that Malvi first acted as a runner in the scheme, going to different Target stores in the Chicago area and depleting funds from gift cards that victims had transferred to the call centres.
In later years, he managed other runners as they traveled around the country, picking up packages filled with cash that call center victims had mailed.
A common script used in the scheme involved coercing victims into believing federal agents were investigating them.
The "agent" on the phone would convince the victim the only way to clear his or her name from investigation was to buy gift cards and transfer the redemption codes to the call centre or mail cash in a package to a name and address the call centre provided.
Runners in the US would then deplete the gift card funds and pick up the packages.
As part of his plea agreement, Malvi will pay restitution to the scheme's identified victims.
US District Judge Andrew S. Hanen accepted the plea and set sentencing for August 14.
At that time, Malvi faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
It was another former Prime Minister Boris Johnson who gave Sunak his first major government role when he first appointed him as the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in 2019, and as the Chancellor in 2020. Sunak won popularity during the early weeks of the pandemic when he unveiled an extensive support plan for those unable to work during lockdown.
Diwali will be a public school holiday in New York City starting next year, Mayor Eric Adams announced at a press conference on Thursday with state assembly woman Jenifer Rajkumar. They were joined by Department of Education chancellor David Banks. The announcement comes two days before the festival of lights, which falls on October 24.
In effect, Britain will have an incredible and unprecedented third Prime Minister in three and a half months. Truss added she had agreed with Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee - the body that conducts internal elections in the Conservative party - that the leadership election will be completed within a week.
The Indian Embassy in Ukraine on Wednesday advised all Indian citizens, including students, to leave the war-torn nation at the earliest by available means, due to "deteriorating security situation" there.
Sahota, 71, who has served as Councillor at Telford and Wrekin council since 2001 for 21 years, was nominated by Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and will thus be addressed as Lord Sahota.
The 33-year-old will pull all her kit and supplies on a sledge (pulk), weighing around 120kg (19 stone) at the start of her epic journey in November, while battling temperatures of -50c and wind speeds of up to 60mph. "I expect the journey to take approximately 75 days. Having done 700 miles to the South Pole, I know I can do 1,100 miles," Chandi, a physiotherapist with the British Army, said.
