Houston, July 20, 2005
Seema Hakhu Kachru
PTI
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.
NRI, 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.
