The judge, U.S. District Judge Zachary M. Bluestone, highlighted the 'enormous' losses and Jawahar's failure to repay victims as major factors in the sentence.
Jawahar, a co‑founder of Swiftarc Capital LLC, had funneled more than $35 million from investors into a single company, Philip Morris Pakistan, while only investing around $10 million of the funds.
The scheme stretched from July 2016 to December 2023, with Jawahar using fresh investments to pay earlier investors and fuel a lavish lifestyle that included private jet travel, luxury hotels, an Austin‑NYC apartment, and multiple private‑club memberships.
After the indictment, Jawahar attempted to influence a victim into providing a favorable FBI statement, lied about his immigration status and finances, and tried to have his sister wipe his iPhone to conceal evidence.
Jawahar pleaded guilty to three wire‑fraud counts in January, but the indictment also charged him with investment adviser fraud, exposing a pattern of deception that spanned nearly eight years.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said the case demonstrates the reach of U.S. federal courts against international fraudsters and will serve as a warning to investors.