2019-03-11 DOJ SDNY press_release 117 KB 4,124 chars

Driver Of Ridesharing Service Pleads Guilty In White Plains Federal Court To Kidnapping A Rider

Caption: United States v. Harbir Parmar

summary

Harbir Parmar, a ridesharing driver, pled guilty to kidnapping a female rider by falsifying her destination and abandoning her on I-95, plus wire fraud for submitting false trip data and imposing fraudulent cleaning fees, resulting in thousands of dollars in improper charges and facing up to life in prison for kidnapping and 20 years for wire fraud.

paragraph

Harbir Parmar pled guilty in White Plains federal court to one count of kidnapping and one count of wire fraud for his actions as a ridesharing driver. On February 21, 2018, he kidnapped a rider by altering her destination in the app to Boston, driving her to Connecticut, and abandoning her on I-95. From December 2016 to February 2018, he also committed wire fraud by submitting false destination data and charging unauthorized cleaning fees, causing thousands of dollars in improper charges to customers.

narrative

Harbir Parmar, a 25-year-old ridesharing driver from Howard Beach, New York, pled guilty in White Plains federal court to kidnapping and wire fraud. On February 21, 2018, he picked up a female rider in Manhattan intending to drive her to White Plains, but after she fell asleep, he altered her destination via the app to Boston and drove her into Connecticut, where he abandoned her on the side of I-95 in Branford. She escaped to a convenience store and sought help. Separately, from December 2016 through February 2018, Parmar systematically committed wire fraud by submitting false trip data and falsely applying cleaning fees to customers’ accounts, leading to thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges and numerous customer complaints. He faced one count of kidnapping, carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of wire fraud, carrying a maximum of 20 years. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, involving multiple local and state agencies, and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Parmar was scheduled for sentencing on June 24, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti.

Enriched metadata

Scheme: cyber-fraud (80%)
Court: Southern District of New York
Outcome: pleaded · 2018-10-16

Classified cyber-fraud(confidence 80%). No EDGAR filing fingerprint (criminal/DOJ-side scheme). detection rule →

Extracted insights

Entities 9

scheme_term 20 years in prison for wire fraud
agency fbi westchester county safe streets task force
person Geoffrey S. Berman
person guilty plea proceedings
person harbir parmar
person jamie bagliebter
scheme_term kidnapping and wire fraud
person ridesharing driver
person Vincent L. Briccetti

Triples 15

Harbir Parmar pled guilty to kidnapping and wire fraud
Harbir Parmar arrested on October 16, 2018
Harbir Parmar worked as ridesharing driver
Harbir Parmar kidnapped Victim-1 on February 21, 2018
Harbir Parmar changed destination to Boston, Massachusetts
Harbir Parmar dropped off victim at I-95 in Branford, Connecticut
Harbir Parmar sent false information about customer destinations and cleaning fees from December 2016 through February 2018
Harbir Parmar caused improper charges of thousands of dollars to customers
Harbir Parmar faces maximum sentence of life in prison for kidnapping
Harbir Parmar faces maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for wire fraud
Harbir Parmar scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2019
Geoffrey S. Berman announced guilty plea of Harbir Parmar
Vincent L. Briccetti presided over guilty plea proceedings
FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force conducted investigation of Harbir Parmar
Jamie Bagliebter in charge of prosecution

View original DOJ press releasejustice.gov

Extracted body text (4,124c)

Press Release Driver Of Ridesharing Service Pleads Guilty In White Plains Federal Court To Kidnapping A Rider Monday, March 11, 2019 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that HARBIR PARMAR pled guilty in White Plains federal court to kidnapping and wire fraud. PARMAR was arrested on October 16, 2018, and pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Last year, Harbir Parmar took advantage of a vulnerable woman who utilized a ridesharing service by kidnapping and terrorizing her. In addition, he charged many of his ridesharing customers with fraudulent fees. Today, he admitted his guilt in open court, and will now be held accountable for his brazen crimes.” According to the Indictment and statements made during today’s plea proceedings: On February 21, 2018, PARMAR, who worked as a driver for a ridesharing company (“Company-1”), picked up an individual (“Victim-1”) in Manhattan, New York, who sought to be driven to White Plains, New York. After Victim-1 fell asleep in the backseat of the vehicle, PARMAR changed Victim-1’s destination in Company-1’s mobile application to an address in Boston, Massachusetts, and proceeded to drive toward that location. When Victim-1 awoke, the vehicle was in Connecticut. Victim-1 requested that she be taken to White Plains or to the police station, but PARMAR refused. PARMAR instead dropped Victim-1 off on the side of I-95 in Branford, Connecticut. Victim-1 went to a nearby convenience store where she sought assistance. In addition, from December 2016 through February 2018, PARMAR sent false information about the destinations of Company-1’s customers through Company-1’s mobile application on several occasions. At times, he also sent false information about the application of a cleaning fee to be applied to the accounts of Company-1’s customers. In these instances, customers of Company-1 filed complaints with Company-1 about being overcharged for their rides. These instances have resulted in thousands of dollars in improper charges to the accounts of Company-1’s customers. * * * PARMAR, 25, of Howard Beach, New York, pled guilty to one count of kidnapping, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. PARMAR is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti Honorable Vincent L. Briccetti on June 24, 2019. Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises investigators from the FBI, U.S. Probation Office, New York State police, Westchester County Department of Public Safety, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the New York City Police Department, Yonkers Police Department, Greenburgh Police Department, Mount Vernon Police Department, and the Peekskill Police Department. The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Bagliebter is in charge of the prosecution. Updated March 11, 2019 Topics Financial Fraud Violent Crime Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 19-074

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