US sentences 21 Indians to jail for call centre scam

THE TELEFRAUD SCAM DEFRAUDED AMERICANS AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THREATENING THEM WITH ARREST, DEPORTATION, JAIL

AND FINES FOR ‘DUES’

WASHINGTON: US authorities announced on Friday the sentencing this week of 21 members of a “Telefraud Scam” run out of India-based call centres that defrauded Americans and legal immigrants of millions of dollars, threatening them with arrest, deportation, imprisonment and fines for “alleged” unpaid dues owed to the government.

All 21 sentenced are either Indians or naturalised Americans of Indian descent, and several of them have agreed to be deported back to India after the completion of their jail terms, up to 20 years for some. And all them were linked to call centres based in Ahmedabad. Five of them were sentenced on Friday by the same federal court in Texas that had sentenced the rest earlier in the week. Including three sentenced earlier, the total is up 24, making it perhaps the single largest arrest and sentencing of Indians and people of Indian descent in a single case.

Announcing the sentencing, the US department of justice said 32 India-based conspirators were also named in the indictment, but have not yet been arraigned — presumably because they remain in India. Five Indiabased call centres have also been named, with similar charges.

Indian authorities have been cooperating in this case. Many people were reportedly arrested and call centres found to be involved were shut down. An alleged leading member of the conspiracy is Sagar “Shaggy” Thakkar, who was arrested by Mumbai police in April 2017. He is alleged to have been in touch with Hardik Patel, a co-owner of one of the call centres involved and a key player who has been sentenced to more than 15 years.

They are said to have duped thousands of Americans of millions of dollars between 2012 and 2016, when they were put out of business, indicted, charged and arrested.

A senior police officer, who investigated the call centre scam busted by Thane police, said, “Our investigations did not lead us to Hardik Patel. He is not an accused in the case. We do not have any idea of his links with Sagar Thakkar.”