22-year-old Shivam, an Indian man, pleaded guilty in the US for conspiring in a scheme to smuggle Indians across the US-Canada border. He was indicted in 2025 and now after he pleaded guilty, he would be sentenced on September 4. Going by the US law, Shivam is facing a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. His status in the US -- when he came or whether he is an illegal or not -- is not known.
According to court documents, Shivam directed smuggling operations beginning in October 2024 through June 2025. He used to coordinate with the drivers to pick the Indians from designated spots at the border and to drop them at safe houses in northern New York.
