Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
International

Indian-American couple charged with committing fraud, forced labour

Darpan News Desk IANS, 20 Jul, 2023 11:45 AM
  • Indian-American couple charged with committing fraud, forced labour

New York, July 20 (IANS) An Indian-American couple has been charged with multiple offences, including confiscating a worker's documents, forcing him to provide services for minimal pay and subjecting him to threats at their gas station and convenience store in Virginia.

Returning a seven-count indictment on Wednesday, a federal jury in Richmond laid a total of six charges against Harmanpreet Singh, 30, and Kulbir Kaur, 42, of North Chesterfield region.

The charges include, conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, alien harboring for financial gain, document servitude, conspiracy to commit bankruptcy fraud, and fraudulent transfers in completion of bankruptcy.

According to the court documents, between March 2018 and May 2021, Harmanpreet and Kulbir allegedly forced the victim to provide labour and services at their store.

The victim worked as a cashier, preparing food, cleaning and managing store records, the Department of Justice said in a release.

The indictment alleged that the couple used various coercive means, including confiscating the victim’s immigration documents and subjecting the victim to physical abuse, threats of force and other serious harm and, at times, degrading living conditions, to compel him to work long hours for minimal pay.

The indictment further alleges that the defendants harboured the victim after his visa expired for financial gain and committed bankruptcy-related fraud offences.

The charge of forced labor carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and mandatory restitution.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

MORE International ARTICLES

Suspect pleads not guilty in US Sikh family's murder

Suspect pleads not guilty in US Sikh family's murder
The bodies of eight-month-old Aroohi Dheri, her parents Jasleen Kaur, 27, and Jasdeep Singh, 36, and her uncle Amandeep Singh, 39 were found in an "extremely remote" area near the intersection of Indiana and Hutchins roads. Jesus Salgado is said to have had a long-standing feud with the family and was a former employee in their trucking business.  

Suspect pleads not guilty in US Sikh family's murder

Colombian illegal immigrants targeting Indians in US arrested: Police

Colombian illegal immigrants targeting Indians in US arrested: Police
Indian-origin people across the US have often been targets of robbers because they are believed to have lots of jewellery. The four, who had been under surveillance, were caught in another suburb, New Hyde Park, where they had targeted a house after following a woman, police said.

Colombian illegal immigrants targeting Indians in US arrested: Police

Man jailed for attacking elderly Sikh in Manchester

Man jailed for attacking elderly Sikh in Manchester
Claudio Campos, 28, attacked Avtar Singh in broad daylight as he was walking home from work through the Tib Street area of the City Centre on June 23. Campos, who was with his partner at the time, proceeded to walk up behind Avtar before violently punching him to the head. Singh fell into the middle of the road where he stayed unconscious until a passer-by called for an ambulance.

Man jailed for attacking elderly Sikh in Manchester

British Sikh MP seeks 'urgent action' on rising hate crimes

British Sikh MP seeks 'urgent action' on rising hate crimes
Quoting hate crime statistics 2021-22, Gill, an MP from Birmingham, said hate crimes against Sikhs rose by 169 per cent in comparison to a 38 per cent increase in reported religious hate crimes overall. The 2001 census recorded 336,000 Sikhs living in Britain. Gill said 301 hate crimes against Sikhs were reported in 2021-22, up from 112 in 2020-2021. 

British Sikh MP seeks 'urgent action' on rising hate crimes

Indian-origin Sikh on trial for $10.4mn crypto bungle in Melbourne

Indian-origin Sikh on trial for $10.4mn crypto bungle in Melbourne
Jatinder Singh, 37, and his partner, Thevamanogari Manivel, 40, appeared by video link from prison in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, where they were committed to stand trial over theft and other charges, the Canberra Times reported. Crypto.com intended to refund Manivel $100 but she was erroneously transferred $10,474,143. 

Indian-origin Sikh on trial for $10.4mn crypto bungle in Melbourne

Indian restaurant vandalised with racist graffiti in US

Indian restaurant vandalised with racist graffiti in US
The walls of India K' Raja restaurant, owned and operated by Tony Sappal, were spray-painted with derogatory words and phrases targeting Asian Americans. "For 27 years, this has been home. Nobody has ever displayed that kind of anger or hate to us," Sappal told the Richmond Times Dispatch.

Indian restaurant vandalised with racist graffiti in US