A Gujarat-origin man residing in the United States pleaded guilty to multi-million-dollar unlawful gambling. The accused, identified as Tushar Patel (40), confessed his involvement in a racket including 9.5 million dollars (approx. 81 crore) in illegal proceeds, the US Department of Justice said.
The Indian man currently residing in Georgia pleaded guilty before a federal court in Springfield, Missouri, and admitted to multiple illegal charges. He confessed to committing wire fraud, operating an illegal gambling racket, and money laundering.
How Did They Operate
Patel, along with his associates, ran a network of illegal gambling establishments disguised as internet amusement devices, contests, skill-game centres and adult arcades across Southwest Missouri. The businesses allegedly operated gambling devices, contests of chance and slot-machine-style games in violation of federal and Missouri laws.
Patel also confessed that he and his co-conspirators collectively earned about 9.5 million in gross proceeds from the unlawful operations and subsequently conducted financial transactions to cover and launder the money.
The case is a part of a larger federal investigation, in which a 72-count indictment was filed by a grand jury in May 2025 against 9 people, including Tushar Patel.
Patel could now face major punishments under US federal law.
Separate Incidents
In a separate case, Kavankumar Patel, an Indian national, was sentenced to 10 years in a US prison after pleading guilty to paying traffickers for commercial sex acts with a minor at an Omaha hotel. Five other individuals of Indian origin were also charged with running a forced labour and sex trafficking network in Nebraska.
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KP George, the first Indian-origin county judge in Fort Bend County, Texas, was convicted of third-degree felony money laundering charges related to his campaign.