NEW YORK — A 22-year-old Indian citizen, identified as Shivam, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of New York for allegedly orchestrating a human smuggling operation that brought Indian nationals from Canada into the United States for financial gain.
According to court documents, Shivam is charged with one count of conspiracy to illegally bring aliens into the United States and four counts of illegally bringing aliens into the country for private financial benefit. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison on each count, with mandatory minimum sentences applicable to some charges.
U.S. authorities allege that Shivam directed the smuggling operation between January and June 2025, coordinating the illegal transport of individuals across the Canada–U.S. border into Clinton County.
In January 2025, agents with U.S. Border Patrol attempted to stop two vehicles traveling in tandem near the northern border. Both vehicles allegedly fled, prompting a pursuit. One vehicle went off the road and became immobilized, while the second was stopped in Mooers, New York. Authorities found 12 undocumented individuals inside the vehicles.
Investigators say WhatsApp messages recovered from one of the drivers showed repeated coordination with a phone number linked to Shivam, including instructions for border crossings, proof-of-life photographs, and directions to safe houses in upstate New York.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of Justice said the communications indicate the operation extended beyond a single incident and involved multiple smuggling attempts from Canada into the United States.
Shivam was initially charged by criminal complaint in June 2025.