An investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, US, revealed the involvement of six NRIs from Gujarat in illegally moving money amounting to $15 million between the US and India, during a six-month period in 2023. Their final sentencing was delivered by a New York federal court. They will serve a prison sentence of 12 to 27 months.

The US Postal Inspection Service and the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky were also part of the investigation team.

All the six Gujarati men were illegally living in the US. They were found guilty and have been convicted of running a hawala network.

Hirenkumar Patel, the mastermind of the racket, was sentenced to 21 months in prison. He admitted to have orchestrated 42 cash deliveries amounting to a total $7.7 million. He and his accomplices used an informal transfer system where informal brokers transferred funds to the specific recipients in India. It was basically physical cash deliveries, which ensured no money left the US legally. The accused would collect large amounts of cash from individuals in the US, hand it over to a vendor from whose clients would take the delivery. Drug dealers and hackers were the noted clients.

Rajendrakumar Patel was sentenced to 27 months in prison; Brijeshkumar Patel received 18 months; Naineshkumar Patel, 12 months and one day; and Nileshkumar Patel, three years of probation. Shaileshkumar Goyani received a sentence of time served. – editor@nrifocus.com