The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched a search for an Indian national accused of carrying out a multi-year fraud scheme that targeted several victims between 2017 and 2021. In a post on X, the agency identified the suspect as Kalpeshkumar Rasikbhai Patel, also known as Kenny Patel, and said he is believed to be living in or moving between Illinois and Pennsylvania.
Patel, 35, is wanted in the United States in connection with an alleged mail and wire fraud conspiracy. Born on May 17, 1991, he previously worked as a gas station attendant and is also known by several aliases, including Kenny, Mecco, and Kalpesh Patel, according to the FBI.
Federal authorities issued an arrest warrant for Patel on June 22, 2023, after he was charged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in London, Kentucky, with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
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The FBI said in a post on X: “Kalpeshkumar Rasikbhai Patel, also known as Kenny Patel, is #wanted by the #FBI for his alleged participation in a nationwide scheme to defraud multiple victims into transmitting large sums of money, usually in the form of cash and prepaid debit cards, to addresses throughout the United States between 2017 and 2021. Many victims were contacted via telephone communications and deceived into believing their personal information or identities were associated with criminal activities.”
According to the FBI’s “Most Wanted” notice, Patel is considered a fugitive from justice, and the agency has urged the public to come forward with any information about his whereabouts, noting that such tips would be treated as significant and actionable.
“Many victims were contacted via telephone communications and deceived into believing their personal information or identities were associated with criminal activities. They were convinced to send funds, usually in the form of cash and prepaid debit cards, to addresses throughout the United States,” it said. “Patel is considered a fugitive from justice, and any information regarding his whereabouts should be treated as significant and actionable.”
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The post has since drawn widespread attention on X, with numerous reposts and reactions from users. One of them was Sara Gonzales, who reposted the FBI’s message, writing, “THEY ALL HAVE TO GO BACK.” Another user suggested that Patel was Gujarati.
The post also triggered a wave of reactions on X, with several users calling for stricter immigration measures and, in some cases, demanding the deportation of Indians. A number of comments broadly questioned why Indians should be allowed to live in the United States, reflecting a surge of sweeping and often inflammatory rhetoric in response to the case.