He fell foul of the East India Company in 1768 , possibly .
Diamonds were a favourite means for Company employees to secretly remit to Britain the ill - gotten gains of private trade in India which they were officially forbidden to engage in .
He fell foul of the East India Company in 1768 , possibly because diamonds were a favourite means for Company employees to secretly remit to Britain the ill - gotten gains of private trade in India which they were officially forbidden to engage in .