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Visa fraud, sex trafficking: 5 Indian-Americans abuse US immigration system
Kentakumar 'Ken' Chaudhari, 36, Rashmi Ajit 'Falguni' Samani, 42, Amit Prahladbhai 'Amit' Chaudhari, 32, Amit Babubhai 'Matt' Chaudhari, 33, and Maheshkumar 'Mahesh' Chaudhari, 38, owned, operated and managed a number of hotels in the state. Prosecutors allege these hotels were at the centre of multiple criminal schemes.
US state attorney Lesley Woods said in the release, the operations generated large illegal proceeds, with investigators seizing more than $565,000 in cash suspected to be linked to money laundering.
Child labour and unsafe living conditions
Court documents say ten minors were rescued from a labour trafficking network that forced children under the age of 12 to work long hours in unclean, unsafe and unhealthy hotels for little or no pay.
The Department of Justice described one scene where an informant entered a hotel room and found immigrant victims sleeping on the floor, with cockroaches crawling over them as they slept.
'There is no evil greater than the evil that seeks to trap, oppress, and exploit human beings for profit or pleasure,' said Woods. 'Where that evil exists, Nebraska law enforcement working together at the federal, state, and local levels, as occurred in this case, will seek it, find it, root it out, and ensure every rescued victim has an opportunity to obtain justice and freedom from their captors.'
Visa scam involving staged robbery
One of the accused is also alleged to have abused the US U visa system, which is designed for victims of certain crimes who have suffered abuse and assist law enforcement in investigations.
Investigators say a hotel owner arranged a staged robbery of a Brow and Lash salon in 2022 to make another defendant appear as a crime victim, in an attempt to secure her a U visa.
Hotels as drug trafficking hubs
The complaint also alleges the hotels were used for drug trafficking. According to the DOJ, traffickers received protection from the hotel owners in the same way human traffickers did.
Overdoses were reportedly so frequent that at least one hotel kept Narcan — an opioid overdose treatment — at the front desk. A source described a stairwell littered with used drug needles, while drug use in the parking lots was said to be common, a claim also reflected in online guest reviews.
Smuggling people from India
Prosecutors allege one defendant discussed the cost of bringing someone from India to the US. Several hotel employees had crossed the Arizona border in previous years, telling border officials they would be living at hotels owned by the defendants.
The complaint further claims that migrants were moved between Nebraska and Washington to obtain driver's licences fraudulently, with each identification document costing around $1,000.
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Business Standard
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News18
2 hours ago
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Agency: PTI Washington, Aug 16 (AP) Federal troops are patrolling the National Mall and neighborhoods across Washington while President Donald Trump's administration exerts extraordinary power over law enforcement in the nation's capital. But the administration backed down from an attempt to take over the city's police department by installing its own emergency police commissioner after a federal judge indicated she would rule against it. The partial retreat interrupted one aspect of the most sweeping uses of federal authority over a local government in modern times. How it will play out and whether the federal government will use this experience as a potential blueprint for dealing with other cities remains up in the air. Here's what to know about the situation and what might come next: Why is Trump taking over the police in DC? 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Whether Republicans in Congress would go along with that is unclear. Some D.C. residents have protested against the increased police presence. For some, the action echoes uncomfortable historical chapters when politicians used language to paint predominantly Black cities with racist narratives to shape public opinion and justify police action. Will Trump try to take control in other US cities? Washington is very different from any other American city, and the rules that govern it give the federal government much more control than it would have anywhere else. Whether Trump is using this as a blueprint for how to approach cities — largely Democratic cities — that he wants to exert more control over remains to be seen. (AP) HIG HIG (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 16, 2025, 06:30 IST News agency-feeds Trump administration partially retreats from a takeover of Washingtons police Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Pak national on long-term visa held for cheating on wife
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