Indian-American Convicted in USD 2.5 Million Fraud Faces Loss of US Citizenship

An Indian-American man convicted in a multi-million dollar fraud case is facing denaturalization proceedings in the United States after federal authorities accused him of concealing his criminal activities while applying for American citizenship.

According to the US Department of Justice , 62-year-old Debashis Ghosh , a resident of Cook County, Illinois, is among 12 individuals against whom the government has filed actions seeking revocation of citizenship over serious offences, including fraud, terrorism-related activities, war crimes and sexual abuse allegations.

Authorities alleged that Ghosh participated in a USD 2.5 million investor fraud scheme connected to a proposed aircraft maintenance and repair facility in Plattsburgh, New York. Prosecutors said the scheme began in November 2010, before he became a US citizen in 2012, and continued until August 2014. Investigators alleged that Ghosh and his associate diverted investor funds and falsely assured victims that the money remained secure and properly invested. Victims reportedly included retired military officers, airline executives and finance professionals.

Federal records show Ghosh entered the United States on multiple non-immigrant visas beginning in 1991 and later became a naturalized US citizen . However, the Justice Department alleged that during his naturalization interview he falsely claimed he had not committed crimes for which he had not been arrested.

Ghosh was convicted by a federal jury in 2017 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced in 2018 to 57 months in prison along with restitution payments. Authorities now argue that his citizenship was illegally obtained through concealment and willful misrepresentation .

Officials alleged that Ghosh provided false testimony under oath during the citizenship process and committed offences involving moral turpitude , making him ineligible to retain American citizenship under US immigration law.