Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

US jury indicts six, including Indian national, in Amazon bribery conspiracy

A US jury has indicted six people, including an Indian national, on criminal charges for bribing Amazon workers to restock blocked goods or gain unfair competitive advantage in the online marketplace.

Those charged in the case served as consultants for third-party sellers, doling out over $100,000 to employees and contractors at the e-commerce giant for favours or intelligence in a scheme dating back to at least 2017.


Fraudulently reinstated products and merchants reportedly went on to generate more than $100 million in sales in total revenue.

Bribes were paid to at least 10 people, including Amazon contractor Nishad Kunju of Hyderabad in India, prosecutors said.

Kunju went on to become an outside consultant himself, and bribed former colleagues still working for Seattle-based Amazon, according to the indictment.

An Indian-American, Rohit Kadimisetty of southern California, was also named in the indictment.

The others identified were Hadis Nuhanovic of Georgia, and Joseph Nilsen Ephraim Rosenburg and Kristen Leccese of New York.

The defendants will appear at a federal court in Seattle on October 15 to face conspiracy charges.

"Realising they could not compete on a level playing field, the subjects turned to bribery and fraud in order to gain the upper hand," said FBI special agent Raymond Duda.

"What's equally concerning, not only did they attempt to increase sales of their own products, but sought to damage and discredit their competitors."

Illicit favours gained through bribery included extra shelf space in distribution centres; inside data they could use against rivals; and reinstatement of accounts blocked or suspended for rule breaking.

Reinstated products included dietary supplements suspended because of safety complaints; household electronics that had been flagged as flammable, and consumer goods removed for intellectual-property violations, prosecutors noted.

"As the world moves increasingly to online commerce, we must ensure that the marketplace is not corrupted with unfair advantages obtained by bribes and kick-backs," said US attorney Brian Moran.

"The ultimate victim from this criminal conduct is the buying public who get inferior or even dangerous goods that should have been removed from the marketplace."

Amazon said it had worked hard "to build a great experience for customers and sellers, and bad actors like those in this case detract from the flourishing community of honest entrepreneurs that make up the vast majority of its sellers".

The e-com giant added that it "has systems in place to detect suspicious behaviour by sellers or employees, and teams in place to investigate and stop prohibited activity".

"We are especially disappointed by the actions of this limited group of now former employees, and appreciate the collaboration and support from law enforcement to bring them and the bad actors they were entwined with to justice," the company said.

More For You

Thunderstorms to Hit East & South-East England; Met Office

The warning indicates a high risk of disruption

Getty Images

Thunderstorms to hit East and South-East England as Met Office issues amber warning

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for thunderstorms across parts of eastern and south-eastern England, in effect from 20:00 BST on Friday to 05:00 on Saturday. The affected area spans from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Cromer in north Norfolk.

The warning indicates a high risk of disruption, with flash flooding, power cuts, and hazardous travel conditions expected. The Met Office warns that flooding of homes and businesses is likely, and delays or cancellations to bus and rail services are possible due to surface water and lightning strikes.

Keep ReadingShow less
Crime boss who posed as male escort jailed for £20m cocaine plot

Shergill and his accomplices were arrested on different dates in 2020

Photo for representation (iStock)

Crime boss who posed as male escort jailed for £20m cocaine plot

THE head of an organised crime group who claimed he was a male escort while masterminding an international operation to import cocaine into the UK has been sentenced to 21 years and three months in jail.

Kulvir Shergill, 43, from the West Midlands, told National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators he made a living through male escort bookings, teaching martial arts and working as a personal trainer.

Keep ReadingShow less
Major Delays on M62 After Lorry Crash and Fuel Spill

Motorists are being advised to expect significant disruption

National Highways

Major delays on M62 after lorry crash causes fuel spill

Drivers are facing long delays on the M62 following a lorry crash near Warrington that led to a significant fuel spill on the carriageway.

The incident occurred when the lorry struck railings on a bridge on the A49 Newton Road, causing fuel to leak onto the motorway below. As a result, the M62 has been closed in both directions within junction 9, and the junction 8 eastbound entry slip road is also shut.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air-India-Phuket-Reuters

A view shows Air India flight AI 379 that had to make an emergency landing back at Phuket Airport, due to a note of a bomb threat discovered mid-air, in Phuket, Thailand, June 13, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)

Bomb threat forces Air India flight back to Thai island

AN AIR INDIA flight from Phuket, Thailand to New Delhi returned to the Thai island on Friday after a bomb threat was discovered on board, according to Thailand’s airports authority.

The flight had taken off from Phuket and was en route to India when the pilot reported a possible threat and made an emergency landing.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India flight crash

Debris of Air India flight 171 is pictured after it crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 13, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Air India crash: Black box found as India investigates London-bound flight disaster

INVESTIGATORS have recovered the black box from the site of Thursday’s Air India crash in Ahmedabad, where a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick airport went down shortly after takeoff, killing at least 265 people, including those on the ground.

The aircraft issued a mayday call shortly before crashing into a residential area around lunchtime. The plane had barely lifted 100 metres from the ground before it came down, with its tailpiece left protruding from the second floor of a hostel for medical staff from a nearby hospital.

Keep ReadingShow less