The U.S. Citizen wife of Indian jeweler Nirav Modi is involved in a billion dollar fraud investigation in his homeland. Nirav has fled India along with his wife, Ami, and decamped to a New York City apartment close to his flagship jewelry store along Madison Avenue. CNN Money reports that the fraud case involves $1.8 billion being allegedly released to Modi and his partners based on a fake Letter of Undertaking.
Bloomberg reported that Nirav and Ami fled India in early January. The Central Bureau of Investigation in India got involved in the case on January 29. Since then, the agency has issued arrest warrants for Nirav, Ami, his brother, Nishal and Mehul Chinubhai Choksi. The Times of India reports that all four are considered partners in Diamond R US.
The diamond business is a family affair for Nirav with his father and grandfather also having been involved. According to his official website, Nirav grew up in Antwerp, Belgium, and has stores in New York, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, Beijing and Mumbai. His designs have been worn by some of Hollywood’s biggest actresses including Kate Winslet and Dakota Johnson.
Nirav and Ami have three children together, two daughters and one son.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Couple Attended Donald Trump’s Alma-Mater
Facebook/Ami Modi
Like her husband and the president of the United States, Ami attended the Wharton Business School in Philadelphia. Ami holds a U.S. passport and is therefore regarded as a non-resident Indian in her homeland. The connection to Donald Trump doesn’t end there, the Indian Express reports that Trump attended the 2015 opening of Nirav’s New York City store along Madison Avenue. NDTV reports that Nirav dropped out of Wharton after one year to return to India to get in to the diamond business.
2. Nirav Said in the Past That He Is Passionate About His Family’s Privacy
Getty
Despite his extremely public lifestyle, Nirav says in a section of his website that he is passionate about his family’s privacy. He says, “I have a wife (Ami) and three children (Rohin, Apasha and Ananya). You will never see us as a family in any picture or in any photo shoots. We remain very private. Under the brand Nirav Modi I understand that I must have a public profile but that is very different from my personal life. It is very easy to keep the two separate.” He adds that it is his and his wife’s desire that despite their family’s exorbitant wealth, they insist that their children must do something with their lives. In an interview with Verve Magazine, Nirav discussed his parenting philosophy saying, “Our children are grounded. It is my wife’s belief and mine too that dynastic wealth is not something that we have created. We would like our children to do anything, not just do nothing. Luckily they are all still very young and they are not affected by all this. To give you an example, their birthday parties are at home. They can only keep three gifts. They have to choose which three they want. The rest they give away. It is a tradition they have followed from a young age. They understand it and do not feel that something has been taken away from them.”
GettyNirav Modi (L) and Nimrat Kaur attend the Nirav Modi U.S. Boutique grand opening at Nirav Modi Boutique on September 8, 2015 in New York City.
In a separate article on his official website, Nirav mentions his belief in traditional customs saying that he only speaks Gujarati with his wife and children. Nirav is asked during that article if his wife is “bored of diamonds?” To which, Nirav responded, “No, she loves them.”
A November 2016 Daily Telegraph feature said that Nirav lived with his family in central Mumbai.
3. Ami Is a Trustee of the Nirav Modi Foundation
According to the website for the Nirav Modi Foundation, Ami is a trustee. The foundation says that it “endeavors to empower youth and families from underprivileged communities to become self-sustainable.” An online profile for her husband mentions that Ami is responsible for running the “Nirav Modi Scholarship for Excellence,” which supports 250 students every year.
4. The 5 Year Anniversary of His Brand Coincided With Ami’s 40th Birthday
A Forbes India feature on Nirav says that in September 2016, he celebrated the 5th anniversary of his brand along with his wife’s 40th birthday. The same piece gives Nirav’s net worth as being $1.74 billion. The bash was held at the glamorous Jodhpur Umaid Bhawan Palace hotel. Attending the party was the erstwhile majaraja of Jodhpur, Gaj Singh II.
5. Ami Has Been Seen Entering the Building Where Her & Family Are Holed Up ‘Frequently’
Ami has been seen “entering and exiting” the building where the Modi family is holed up in New York City “frequently,” reports NDTV. The family is staying in the JW Marriott’s Essex House, just off the southern end of Central Park. When asked about NDTV about Modi’s alleged crimes, an employee of the apartment complex said, “The news is only in India, he is safe in America right?”
On February 15, PTC News in India reported that the CBI had seized Ami’s home.
