Sant S. Chatwal, an Indian American businessman, has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaigns, even as he battled governments on two continents to escape bankruptcy and millions of dollars in tax liens.
The founder of the Bombay Palace restaurant chain, Chatwal is one of a growing number of fundraisers in the 2008 presidential campaign whose backgrounds have prompted questions about how much screening the candidates devote to their "bundlers" while they press to raise record amounts.
Chatwal's case reached from his native India to New York City. The IRS pursued him for approximately $4 million in unpaid business taxes, while New York state placed a lien seeking more than $5 million in taxes. He forfeited a building to New York City on which he was delinquent on property taxes and was sued by federal regulators seeking to recoup millions of dollars in loans from a failed bank where he served as a director.
Across the ocean, three Indian banks forced him into U.S. bankruptcy, and he was charged with bank fraud. He was out on bond when he showed up in India in 2001 during a visit by his longtime friend Bill Clinton.
Yet none of the legal and financial woes — occasionally touched on in American or Indian newspapers or highlighted by political opponents — raised red flags inside Hillary Clinton's fundraising operation. Chatwal recently said he plans to help raise $5 million from Indian Americans for Clinton's president
RE:Chatwal is a criminal - FRAUD.
by abhinav bansal on Jun 27, 2008 10:47 PM Permalink
Who is Sant Chatwal to promise support of Indian American community. Who gave him that right. He is a nobody. This is my humble request to all Indian Americans to not support Obama. He is not qualified to be President. He has communist views which are against the interests of business owners and Tax Payers. Please always vote republican.
RE:Chatwal is a criminal - FRAUD.
by Dangle Mukara on Jun 28, 2008 05:30 AM Permalink
US had 8 years of republican rule and the living standard has become worst than a communist country. More people living of the govt. If you are afraid of taxes obama might increase. Think of it is a sour pill one has to take to get out of this debt. Else your children will have to pay for all these loans.
RE:Chatwal is a criminal - FRAUD.
by Ajay on Jun 28, 2008 03:31 AM Permalink
Republicans usually do not support immigrants. I do not know about McCain, but Obama is our only bet.
RE:Chatwal is a criminal - FRAUD.
by Gujumal on Jun 28, 2008 06:58 PM Permalink
Does support here mean a) Allowing people to come into a sovereign country by breaking the law. b) Allowing lawbreakers to enjoy the benefits of this country at the expense of those who are here legally
Sorry but thats not what support is. I came into this country legally more that a decade ago and followed the legal process to establish my current status. This nation is a nation of immigrants, immigration has always been in practice since the very beginning of this country. Every country is sovereign and has established laws and I believe that the first responsibility of every person in a civil society is to abide by the laws.
RE:Chatwal is a criminal - FRAUD.
by Pradip Parekh on Jun 27, 2008 10:10 PM Permalink
if you get into trouble with law, donate to an influential politician. don't give it irs, give it politicians. did i understand that right?
