NRI indicted for illegal business in US
An Indian American has been indicted on federal charges of operating an unlicensed check encashing business.
An Indian American, owner of several convenience stores in Lafayette and Lake Charles in Louisiana State in the US, has been indicted on federal charges of operating an unlicensed check encashing business.
Amir P Dawoodani, is also accused of illegal hiring practices, selling stolen liquor and marriage fraud.
According to the indictment made public this week, he faces charges of not obtaining proper licenses for the check-cashing businesses at his two convenience stores in Lafayette.
The court records said that Federal agents are investigating Dawoodani on allegations of hiring foreign college students to work at his stores when he knew their immigration status did not allow employment, harbouring illegal immigrants and helping relatives to get married in an effort to improve their chances of getting US citizenship.
Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC) agent Ernest Green was quoted as saying by local media that Dawoodani's shop at Ambassador Caffery Boulevard in Lafayette was suspected of selling liquor believed to have been stolen from a nearby supermarket.
Dawoodani also faces a July 27 ATC hearing on citations of improper conduct for his manager's alleged purchase of stolen liquor and lack of invoices for alcohol in the store.
His brother and two of his cousins, all of whom prosecutors said worked at Dawoodani's stores, are in the country illegally, and were arrested earlier this year.