ADVERTISEMENTs
Indian student jailed in U.S. for $2.7M elder fraud
Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel, 20, a resident of Gujarat, was sentenced on June 18.
-
1749497506.png)
Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 19, Jun 2025
- 13:34 EDT
- 23
US Attorney's office Western district of Texas / X (@USAO_WDTX)
An Indian national living in the United States on a student visa was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for his role in a nationwide fraud and money laundering conspiracy that targeted elderly American citizens.
Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel, 20, a resident of Gujarat, was sentenced by the U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman on June 18 after pleading guilty in March to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Also Read: Indian national sentenced to 12 years in U.S. for defrauding seniors
According to court documents, Patel conspired with co-defendant Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya and others to defraud at least 25 elderly victims of cash and gold, totaling over $2.69 million, between July and August 2024.
(AUSTIN) Indian National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Elderly Americans While on Student Visa @FBISanAntonio #ElderJustice #ElderAbuseAwarenessMonth #WEAAD https://t.co/M7Xg9KkU19
— U.S. Attorney WDTX (@USAO_WDTX) June 18, 2025
The scheme involved phishing tactics and impersonation of U.S. government officials to intimidate and extract money from vulnerable individuals. Patel acted as a recipient of the defrauded funds, collecting packages of cash and gold from victims under false pretenses. He then forwarded portions of the proceeds to co-conspirators while keeping a share for himself.
Patel was arrested on Aug.24, 2024, by the Granite Shoals Police Department in Texas after he retrieved a package that was represented to contain $130,000 from a victim’s residence. He was transferred to federal custody on Aug.29, 2024 and has remained detained since then.
“This defendant took advantage of his visa status in our country and participated in an international fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Patel defrauded vulnerable American citizens out of millions of dollars by impersonating government officials and preying on his victims' fears of adverse government action.”
“The FBI is deeply committed to protecting the American people from the devastating effects of financial fraud,” added Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI's San Antonio Field Office. “We prioritize and aggressively pursue those who prey on our elderly population.”
Patel’s co-conspirator, Mangukiya, pleaded guilty on June 16 and is awaiting sentencing. The case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Granite Shoals Police Department.
Related
.JPG)
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login