Indian pleads guilty to defrauding phone providers, insurance companies using fake identity

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Washington, June 6 (PTI): An Indian national pleaded guilty in a New Jersey court on Wednesday to charges of defrauding various phone providers and insurance companies of millions of dollars by using fake identities.

A media release on the case said he submitted fraudulent claims for replacement cellular devices and then resold those devices outside the US.

Sandeep Bengra, 36, pleaded guilty before US District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to two counts: one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and the other count of conspiracy to commit interstate transfer of stolen property, US Attorney Philip R. Selinger said.

He acknowledged that the total value of the replacement equipment was more than US$9 million.

The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the crime.

The charge of conspiracy to commit interstate transfer of stolen goods carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the crime.

The sentence will be pronounced on October 10, 2024, the release said.

According to court documents dating from June 2013 to June 2019, Bengara was involved in an extensive scheme to defraud cellular phone providers and insurance companies using the U.S. mail system and other third-party mail carriers.

Together with other conspirators, he used stolen and fake identities to submit false claims for lost, stolen or damaged mobile phones and other devices and obtained replacement devices, the release said.

The report said Bengra and his conspirators maintained a network of mailboxes and storage units across the US, including in New Jersey, where replacement devices were shipped and then held before being sold to third parties outside the US.

(This story is published as part of an auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No edits have been made by ABP Live to the headline or body text.)