EDISON, NJ – An Iselin jewelry company and its owners have admitted to evading U.S. customs duties by undervaluing imported gold jewelry. The settlement, announced by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, brings scrutiny to Edison Mayor Sam Joshi, as the company owners in question are known friends and financial contributors.
21st Millennium Inc., based in Iselin, is owned and operated by Iqbal Virani and Aqib Virani who live in Edison according to reports filed with the New Jersey Law Enforcement Election Commission. According to federal investigators, the Viranis systematically undervalued the gold jewelry in over 80 customs entries filed between 2017 and 2020. This fraudulent practice allowed them to evade over $400,000 in customs duties owed to the United States government.
The Viranis and their company have reached a settlement agreement to pay $1 million to the United States. However, their actions cast a shadow over their reported close ties with Mayor Joshi. Campaign finance records indicate that the Viranis were generous contributors to the mayor’s election campaigns.
According to reports filed with the New Jersey Law Enforcement Election Commission Iqbal Virani contributed to Joshi’s first run for office in 2011 and $2,000 for his 2021 mayoral campaign which Aqib Virani contributed $2,200. It is unknown if the Virani’s have contributed to Mayor Joshi’s 2025 campaign as he has not filed his last three quarterly reports as required by the New Jersey Law Enforcement Election Commission.
Mayor Joshi has not issued a statement regarding the Viranis’ actions or the potential implications for their relationship since the settlement agreement was disclosed in late 2023.
Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation into the fraudulent customs entries. Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich represented the federal government in the case.
