zhjchv0319The family, which owns replica handbagsa race-car repair company in Long Island City, is accused of receiving $1.5 million from 10 victims in connection with this element of the scheme, officials said. The family laundered checks through 11 bank accounts, 8 of them in the name of Shantal Ramsundar, the authorities said.
In the immigration component of the Replica Louis Vuitton scheme, the family is accused of convincing their victims that Mr. Ramsundar, as an immigration agent, could help them obtain legal status and erase their names from deportation rolls and terrorist watch lists.
The authorities say the Ramsundarsdesigner handbags received more than $250,000 from 12 victims in this part of the scheme; some of them also claim to have been defrauded in the real estate deals.
The 34-count indictment, which was Replica Watcheshanded up by a Queens County grand jury on Tuesday, charges them with a variety of crimes, including grand larceny, money laundering, criminal impersonation, scheme to defraud and unlawful sale or possession of an air pistol. If convicted, each could face up to 25 years in prison, the authorities said.
At their arraignment, John Scarpa, the lawyer for the younger Ms. Ramsundar, described his client as ¡°a victim.¡±
¡°They say there¡¯s all this money missing, but they can¡¯t find it,¡± Mr. Scarpa told Justice James P. Griffith, speaking of prosecutors. ¡°Isn¡¯t that interesting?¡±
Dennis Coppin, the lawyer representing Omega replica WatchesGomatee Ramsundar, said in an interview that his client ¡°is presumed innocent and we intend on fighting the case.¡± Mr. Ramsundar¡¯s lawyer could not be reached for comment.
Richard Bachan of Jamaica, Queens, who was at the arraignment, said in an interview that he had lost $400,000 to the Ramsundars in a Florida property deal. Mr. Bachan, who immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago in 1992, said Mr. Ramsundar had cast himself as a deeply religious Hindu and used this guise to win his victims¡¯ confidence.
¡°You can¡¯t trust anybody,¡± Mr. Bachan concluded. ¡°I wish I could get my money back.¡±
The case began last year when several Swiss replica Watchespeople contacted law enforcement officials with claims that they had been duped by Mr. Ramsundar, officials said. After he was arrested in September on charges of defrauding about a dozen West Indians, more people stepped forward with claims, said Kevin R. Ryan, spokesman for the district attorney¡¯s office.
Rebecca White contributed reporting.
