Rajinder Pal Singh, also known as Jaspal Gill, a 49-year-old Indian man, was sentenced to over three years in jail for his role in smuggling over 800 Indians into the US through Uber. In February, California resident Singh pled guilty to earning over USD 500,000 as a critical smuggling ring member.
Over four years, Singh smuggled hundreds of Indian people from Canada into Washington State, according to the Department of Justice. Singh was sentenced to 45 months for conspiracy to transport and harbor aliens for profit and money laundering by Acting US Attorney Tessa M Gorman.
Gorman stressed that Singh’s conduct risked the safety of individuals being transported from India to the US. Singh’s plot exploited Indian immigrants’ dreams of a better life in the US, leaving them with up to USD 70,000 in debt.
The smuggling ring’s 17 Uber accounts charged over USD 80,000 between July 2018 and April 2022. Singh and his pals used Uber to smuggle people from Canada to Seattle. Singh organized approximately 600 flights for smuggled Indian citizens from mid-2018 to May 2022.
The smuggling gang used advanced means to launder the money. Singh’s plea bargain acknowledged complicated money moves to hide unlawful payments. Officials found USD 45,000 in cash and bogus identification documents at Singh’s California home. Singh, a non-citizen, may be deported after his prison term.
