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The Central Bureau of Investigation has successfully extradited Angad Singh Chandhok, an Indian national, from the United States.
Chandhok is accused of orchestrating a multi-million-dollar tech support fraud targeting senior American citizens through a network of shell companies. He was convicted by a US court in connection with large-scale online fraud. He and his associates posed as tech support providers, deceiving victims into transferring substantial sums of money. According to a March 2022 press statement from the US Department of Justice, he was sentenced to six years in prison for his role in the scheme. Authorities revealed that the fraudulently obtained funds were funnelled through several shell companies set up by Chandhok, with the money eventually moved to India and other countries. According to the United States' attorney office, District of Rhode Island, while living in California, Angad Singh Chandhok, 34, operated a long-running and complex money laundering network, in which he created and used shell companies to move millions of dollars stolen from Americans through an online tech support scheme, and later an online travel fee scheme. Chandhok, who had at least five others working at his direction, was in direct contact with high-ranking international members of the scheme. According to court documents, Indian students who were present in the United States on visas, including four in Newport, RI, received funds from victims of the tech support scheme. They then transferred the funds to accounts controlled by Chandhok for further laundering. Chandhok's money laundering business provided an essential link between the participants of the fraud scheme in the United States and others who were operating internationally. Chandhok's criminal activity lasted two years, during which time he "cleaned" at least $1.5 million. The government's evidence showed that in just one month, he laundered nearly $930,000. Chandhok pleaded guilty on August 19, 2019, to conspiracy to launder criminal proceeds. On Thursday, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. sentenced him to 72 months of incarceration, followed by 3 years of federal supervised release. The statement said Chandhok is wanted in his native country of India for fraud and was an international fugitive from justice when he engaged in his sophisticated money laundering activities here in the United States. The CBI had been pursuing his extradition for an extended period through a prolonged legal process. With his return to India now secured, Chandhok is expected to be produced before a competent court, where the CBI will seek his custodial remand for further investigation. (ANI)
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