Indian sentenced to 15 yrs in prison in US for role in leading fraud scheme

New York: A 26-year-old Indian national has been sentenced to more than 15 years in prison in the US by a federal court for his role in leading a major fraud scheme that targeted and threatened elderly victims across the country.

MD Azad, a “US-based ringleader” who worked with a call centre in India, pleaded guilty in August last year to participating in a fraud ring from 2019-2020 which operated out of various US cities, US Attorney Alamdar Hamdani said. US District Judge Kenneth Hoyt ordered Azad to serve 188 months in federal prison. Azad, an Indian citizen who illegally resided in Houston, is expected to face removal proceedings following the prison term.

His fraud scheme targeted elderly victims throughout the United States and elsewhere who tricked and deceived victims and instructed them to send money via wire through money transmitter businesses, by buying gift cards and providing to the fraudsters or by mailing cash to fraudulent names via postal mail.