Three Indian students in the United States have been convicted of fraud. One of them includes Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel, who has been sentenced this week to over five years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering, and his co-accused Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya who has pleaded guilty, and is awaiting sentencing.
Both these individuals were involved in a scam targeting elderly Americans, which involved them impersonating IRS and federal officers, threatening victims with arrest. In a separate, but similar case, a student named Moinuddin Mohammed has been sentenced to eight years for orchestrating a similar scheme that defrauded Americans.
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“The conspiracy used various online phishing methods and impersonated U.S. government officials, while Patel fraudulently received the cash and gold from victims, conveying a portion to co-conspirators and keeping a percentage for his own benefit,” a report said, quoting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
At least 25 senior citizens lost money up to $2,694,156 due to the fraud. On August 24, 2024, Patel was arrested in Granite Shoals, Texas, while trying to collect what he thought was $130,000. He has been held in federal custody since August 29.
“This defendant took advantage of his visa status in our country and participated in an international fraud scheme,” the report quoted U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons. He further added, “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 template for both Patel’s and Mohammed’s scams has been simple — they placed cold calls to elderly citizens, threatening them with fake legal actions, and coercing them to send large sums. Some victims handed over tens of thousands of dollars — others, even gold — to “agents.” While Patel’s scam had an intended loss of $2.7 million, Mohammed’s case, separately investigated, saw total losses nearing $6 million. Once collected, the money was quickly laundered through an international web of transfers.
The U.S. Justice Department and the FBI have cautioned people, especially senior citizens, regarding unverified communications from individuals claiming to represent government or law enforcement agencies. It also added that such scams often involve threats, fake documents, and demands for money under false pretenses.
The U.S. embassy in India also stated that holding a visa was a “privilege, not a right,” and that U.S. authorities may revoke visas of individuals who break the law, even after the visa has been issued.
“Using illegal drugs or breaking any U.S. laws while on a student/visitor visa can make you ineligible for future US visas. A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right. U.S. visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued – and we may revoke your visa if you break the law,” the embassy posted on X.
Some have seen this case as a blow to the reputation of Indian students in the U.S. with it going against the “model minority” stereotype. However, it has been noted cases like these are largely outliers.