IANS

Washington, May 13: An Indian American hotel owner in Vermont state has been sentenced to four months home confinement, and a $10,000 fine on charges of fraud and for employing illegal aliens.

Gurdeep Nagra, 39, a Canadian citizen of Indian origin living in Brattleboro, Vermont, was sentenced last week in a US District Court on charges of conspiracy to make false statements to obtain a bank loan and for employing people residing illegally in the country.

Nagra was indicted in January 2008 with employing and harbouring illegal aliens and making false statements in his application for residency in the United States, according to a release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The false statements charge related to Nagra's signing of two contracts and the use of a double set of invoices in the construction of the Hampton Inn and the use of inflated receipts in obtaining refinancing for the Quality Inn, both in Brattleboro.

The employment of alien charges related to the use of a cleaning crew for the hotels. The crew was largely or completely made up of illegal aliens.

Nagra admitted knowing the employees were illegally in the US. In addition to working at the hotels, they also resided in a lower quality section of the Quality Inn.

The sentencing concluded proceedings on the fraud and employment of aliens allegations but the court's action did not resolve Nagra's immigration status, which will be litigated separately after his release.