Ridesharing Driver Who Kidnapped Woman Customer Gets Prison

WHITE PLAINS, NY — The ride-sharing driver who pleaded guilty to kidnapping and wire fraud will be going to prison. Geoffrey S. Berman, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Monday that Harbir Parmar, 25, of Howard Beach, was sentenced to three years in prison.

He pleaded guilty March 11.

Parmar was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $3,642 in restitution and forfeiture.

"Many people rely on ride-share apps to navigate New York safely," Berman said. "But when a woman hailed a ride-sharing car driven by Harbir Parmar, her ride home took a turn for the worst. With Parmar's lengthy prison term, he will no longer be able to take advantage of ridesharing customers."

Authorities said Parmar was working as a driver for a ride-sharing company and, on Feb. 21, 2018, picked up a woman customer in Manhattan who wanted to be driven to White Plains.

After the woman fell asleep in the backseat of the car, Parmar changed the woman's destination in the company's mobile app to an address in Boston, Massachusetts, and proceeded to drive to that location.

When the woman woke up, the car was in Connecticut, and she asked to be taken to White Plains or to the police station, but Parmar refused, police said.

Instead, he dropped her off on the side of I-95 in Branford, Connecticut. She then went to a nearby convenience store where she sought help.

Authorities said that, from December 2016 through February 2018, Parmar also sent false information about the destinations of the company's customers through its mobile app. He also sent false information about the application of a cleaning fee to be applied to the customers' accounts, resulting in thousands of dollars worth of improper charges to the customers.

The customers filed complaints about being overcharged for their rides.

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