Indian citizen sentenced to 15 months for defrauding victims

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On Wednesday, Kirtankumar Dalwadi, 27, a citizen of India, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his part in a law enforcement impersonation scheme. Dalwadi had previously admitted that while residing in Albany in June and July 2021, he was contacted by scammers he knew in India.

The scammers asked Dalwadi to pick up money from several locations and transport and deliver the currency to various people in New Jersey. Dalwadi picked up $250,000 in Niskayuna, $60,000 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and $30,000 in McKee, West Virginia, and delivered most of the money to people in New Jersey.

The people in Niskayuna, Latrobe, and McKee, were all victims of law enforcement impersonation scams and believed that by paying the money, they would extricate themselves from legal trouble. Dalwadi admitted to knowing the victims were being defrauded.

Dalwadi was arrested in July 2021 by Watervliet Police while attempting to pick up a FedEx package containing money sent by a would-be victim in New Mexico. During the sentencing, Dalwadi was ordered to pay $340,000 in restitution and forfeit an additional $12,000. As a citizen of India lacking status in the U.S., Dalwadi will also be placed into deportation proceedings.