HOUSTON, TX – The fallout continues from one of the most audacious and widespread telephone fraud schemes in recent memory. This week, two more players admitted guilt in the massive, multi-million dollar scam originating from call centers in India, preying on vulnerable Americans. Montu Barot, 30, of Glendale Heights, Illinois, and Nilesh Pandya, 54, of Stafford, Texas, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering offenses, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 371.
The operation, exposed last year, saw call center employees impersonate officials from the IRS and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Victims across the United States were relentlessly threatened with arrest, imprisonment, crippling fines, or deportation unless they immediately paid alleged back taxes or fees. The scheme relied on information gleaned from data brokers, turning targeted individuals into ATMs for the perpetrators. The Justice Department, along with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, have been relentlessly pursuing those involved.
Montu Barot’s role was particularly dirty. According to his plea, he operated as a “runner” beginning around June 2012, coordinating a network to liquidate the funds stolen from victims. He and his cohorts weren’t just accepting money; they were actively laundering it, converting funds loaded onto reloadable cards into money orders and depositing them into various bank accounts – all for a cut of the ill-gotten gains. He meticulously documented the flow of money, sending financial ledgers to his co-conspirators both in India and the U.S., ensuring the scam’s smooth operation. Barot agreed to deportation following sentencing, a small consolation for the victims he helped rob.
Nilesh Pandya, operating within the Southern District of Texas beginning in March 2014, played a similar role. He, too, acted as a runner, directed by others to convert funds from stored value cards into money orders and deposit them into designated accounts. While Barot’s operation appears to have been longer-running and more expansive, Pandya’s actions were crucial in keeping the money flowing and obscuring its origins. Both men essentially acted as the final link in a criminal chain stretching halfway around the world.
This isn’t a case of a few bad apples. To date, a federal grand jury has charged a staggering 56 individuals and five India-based call centers in connection with this scheme, returning an indictment on October 19, 2016. Thirteen defendants have now pleaded guilty, indicating the authorities are slowly but surely dismantling the network. The investigation continues, and more arrests are expected. The case highlights the growing threat of international fraud and the challenges law enforcement faces in tracing and recovering stolen funds.
The sentencing dates for Barot and Pandya are still pending before U.S. District Court Judge David Hittner of the Southern District of Texas. While the guilty pleas represent a step forward, the victims of this ruthless scheme deserve full restitution and justice. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and expose the individuals profiting from the fear and desperation of American citizens. Co-defendant Bharatkumar Patel remains at large.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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