Balram Maharaj was kidnapped in the West Indies, on vacation.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: The woman behind the tragic kidnapping of an Indian-origin man eight years ago was sentenced to 20 years behind bars yesterday.
Forty-seven year-old Doreen Alexander will serve two decades in prison for kidnapping Balram “Balo” Maharaj in 2005. In addition to serving up to 20 years in prison, she will be in a supervised release program for five years once she is released. She was sentenced in Washington, DC by U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan.
Alexander was caught by the FBI and extradited back to the US in March. She pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit hostage-taking on October 3, a lower charge than conspiracy to commit hostage-taking that resulted in death. The latter charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Maharaj was kidnapped by 12 individuals hired by Alexander, who nabbed him while he was on a trip to Trinidad and Tobago. Maharaj was standing outside of a bar in the capital city, Port of Spain, when he was abducted.
Maharaj was held for ransom, but after negotiations involving the payment of the ransom fell through, the kidnapping plan completely unraveled and ended in Maharaj’s death.
The twelve kidnappers have already been extradited back to the US and are serving jail time. Alexander – who planned the entire kidnapping and extortion scheme, including doing the calculations for how much ransom money should be demanded from the authorities – was originally indicted back in 2010, but was only apprehended earlier this year.
Alexander and Maharaj were lovers, and even had a son together. The facts of the case insinuate that when the relationship ended, Alexander used the kidnapping scheme as a way to make quick money to help support herself, and to exact revenge on Maharaj.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com