An Indian national named MD Azad, residing illegally in Houston, led a fraud ring that operated from 2019 to 2020 across various cities, including Houston. He pleaded guilty in August 2022.
Azad has been now sentenced by U.S. District Judge to 188 months (almost 16 years) in federal prison. He is expected to face deportation after serving his prison term.
Azad was identified as the ringleader, orchestrating the scheme from the U.S. and coordinating with a call center in India. The fraud scheme targeted elderly and vulnerable victims in the U.S.
Victims were tricked into sending money via wire transfers, gift cards, or cash through fraudulent methods, including false technical support claims. The fraudsters gained access to victims’ personal and financial information, sometimes manipulating accounts to make it appear as if victims were owed refunds due to typographical errors.
Azad’s co-conspirators, Anirudha Kalkote, Sumit Kumar Singh, Himanshu Kumar, and MD Hasib, all Indian nationals residing illegally in Houston, also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation, with collaboration from other law enforcement agencies.
