Michigan Man Gets 10 Years for Tech Scam & Drug Ring

BOSTON – Doyal Kalita, 37, of Redford, Michigan, is headed to federal prison for a decade after orchestrating a sprawling criminal enterprise that preyed on vulnerable internet users and flooded the streets with illicit drugs. Kalita was sentenced today by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence reflects the gravity of his crimes: one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of conspiracy to import Schedule II and Schedule IV controlled substances, and one count of money laundering conspiracy.

The scheme began in 2015, with Kalita and his network of co-conspirators deploying deceptive pop-up alerts on unsuspecting victims’ computers. These alerts falsely claimed virus infections or system damage, prompting panicked users to call for “technical support.” Victims were then connected to Kalita’s call centers – operating in both India and Michigan – where they were strong-armed into purchasing unnecessary and often useless products and services. The total restitution ordered to victims: $272,293. But the fraud was merely one side of Kalita’s operation.

Simultaneously, Kalita built a sophisticated international drug distribution network. He sourced prescription drugs, including potent opioids, from suppliers in India and Europe, funneling the narcotics into Massachusetts and across the United States. Kalita’s organization expertly repackaged the drugs and distributed them through a network of intermediaries, all while meticulously concealing their activities. The total forfeiture ordered: a staggering $2,542,784.

To launder the illicit proceeds, Kalita and his crew created a web of fake businesses – consulting companies, health supplement stores, auto parts suppliers, and even travel agencies – and used PayPal and merchant accounts registered under these false pretenses. They even fabricated travel itineraries and receipts to deceive credit card processors, desperately attempting to keep their drug trafficking operation hidden from law enforcement. This wasn’t a fly-by-night operation; it was a calculated, complex, and ruthless criminal venture.

While Kalita is now facing the consequences, his network wasn’t limited to him. Two of Kalita’s alleged co-conspirators remain at large, still evading capture. However, authorities have secured convictions against some of his key accomplices. In January 2023, Manish Kumar, a partner in a Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company and one of Kalita’s suppliers, received an 87-month prison sentence and a $100,000 fine. Robert Polanco, involved in the money laundering scheme, was sentenced to 38 months in prison and ordered to pay $216,900 in restitution in June 2023.

The investigation, led by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and a multi-agency task force including the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the FDA, underscores the relentless pursuit of transnational criminal organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit successfully prosecuted the case. The indictment’s details are allegations, and remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. But today, Doyal Kalita learned that even the most elaborate schemes eventually crumble under the weight of justice.

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