Fake call centre scam: Four Indians, one Pakistani have pleaded guilty, says US Justice Department

The United States Department of Justice on Monday said that four Indian nationals and one Pakistani national had pleaded guilty to being involved in a massive fake call centre and money laundering scam. The department’s statement said the guilty pleas were made over the past two weeks. Their sentencing dates have yet to be decided.

“Rajubhai Patel, 32, an Indian national most recently residing in Willowbrook, Illinois; Viraj Patel, 33, an Indian national most recently residing in Anaheim, California; Dilipkumar Ambal Patel, 53, an Indian national most recently residing in Corona, California; and Fahad Ali, 25, a Pakistani national pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy before US District Court Judge David Hittner of the Southern District of Texas,” the statement said.” Thirty-one-year-old Indian national, Hardik Patel, has also pleaded guilty in the case.

Hardik Patel confessed to owning and managing day-to-day operations of the India-based scam before leaving for the US, the statement said. He said he continued to collaborate with his India-based conspirators after moving to the US.

The Justice Department had said the accused had set up call centres to phone people pretending to be from the US tax or immigration department and forced them to pay “fines” or face arrest and deportation, reported AFP. The department had charged 56 individuals and five Indian companies with conspiracy to commit identity theft, false personation of an officer of the United States, wire fraud and money laundering.

On October 4, 2016, more than 500 call centre staffers across Maharashtra’s Thane district were detained by Indian police for allegedly defrauding US citizens who were loan defaulters. Officials said the racket made more than Rs 1 crore every day. On October 15, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation started collaborating with Indian law enforcers in connection with the investigation.