The arrest of an Indian couple in connection to expired visas in Chicago in January 2018 uncovered an alleged prostitution racket, involving actors from the Telugu film industry, the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has revealed.
Kishan Modugumudi and Chandrakala Purnima Modugumudi were picked up by the Border Patrol on 23 January 2018, for overstaying on expired visas, and were subsequently released on 23 February.
While Kishan had traveled to the US in 2015 on a six-month visa under the pretext of attending an event as an actor, Chandrakala had traveled on six-month visa in August 2015, which was later extended to February 2016. Her second attempt to get an extension failed, and the duo never left the country.
A 41-page affidavit, filed by the HSI at a district court in Illinois on 30 April, states that the couple had forged letterheads fro reputed US-based Telugu institutions, such as Telugu Association of South California (TASC) and North America Telugu Society (NATS)o facilitate the racket.
According to the affidavit, the duo utilised these forged letters to provide for short-term visas for actors between 11 May 2017 to 22 January 2018
The afiidavit, which has been accessed by The Indian Express, reportedly states that the actors were brought into the country under the pretext of an event, and were subsequently used for commercial sex trade.
The officials reportedly suspected foul play when in November 2017, a woman arrived at the Chicago airport from New Delhi on a short-term visa issued for tourism or medical purposes, to attend an event. Further, the woman arrived on 20 November, for an event scheduled on 18 November.
According to The Indian Express, when the officials contacted the authorities who had organised the event, they were informed that they had not invited the woman.
The officials then got in touch with the woman, who alleged that she had been contacted by a man named "Raju". Based on this tip-off, the officials traced the racket to Kishan and Chandrakala.
The affidavit further states that the victims were lodged in either the Modugumudis Illinois residence, or in other places across the country. They were also taken by the duo to various conferences, where they would meet potential customers.
According to IE, the affidavit also attached evidence in the form of the Modugumudis' travel records, statements from the victims, statements from the customers, call records, and other letters indicating the presence of a prostitution racket.
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