In a chilling reminder of the growing sophistication of cross-border cyber fraud, two Indian students in the United States have been sentenced to federal prison for orchestrating online scams that exploited the fears and vulnerabilities of elderly Americans. The schemes, involving impersonation of U.S. officials and laundering of stolen funds, resulted in intended losses of over $8 million (Rs. 69 Crores) across multiple cases.
Visa-Holders Turned Cyber Criminals
Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel, 20, entered the U.S. on a student visa, presumably to pursue an academic future. Instead, he became the central figure in a sweeping online conspiracy that manipulated elderly Americans through phishing emails, impersonation of federal agencies, and threats of government retaliation. Patel was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison this week after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Court documents reveal that Patel’s role included physically collecting cash and gold from defrauded victims and forwarding a significant portion to unknown co-conspirators, while keeping a cut for himself. Authorities arrested Patel on August 24, 2024, in Granite Shoals, Texas, while attempting to collect what he believed to be $130,000 (Rs. 1 crore) in illicit proceeds. The DOJ has confirmed that at least 25 elderly victims were targeted, with an intended total loss of $2.69 million (approximately Rs. 22 Crores).
His co-defendant, Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya, also an Indian national, pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025, and is currently awaiting sentencing. Both were in the U.S. on temporary student visas.
A Broader Pattern: Elder Fraud and International Crime Networks
Patel’s conviction is not an isolated incident. Earlier this year, Moinuddin Mohammed, another Indian student in the U.S., was sentenced to eight years in federal prison in a separate but structurally similar scam. Like Patel, Mohammed impersonated federal agents and used voice phishing to frighten victims into wiring money, often internationally.
Mohammed’s scheme defrauded victims of nearly $6 million (Rs. 52 crores), the DOJ confirmed, and followed a playbook of fear tactics, threats of arrest, frozen assets, or deportation, pushed via phone calls, emails, and sometimes even in-person visits.
Investigators believe these scams are increasingly coordinated through transnational networks often based in India and Southeast Asia, with foot soldiers, often students or temporary visa holders, deployed in the U.S. to collect money or facilitate laundering. The DOJ, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), continues to probe these international rings.
Fallout, Reforms, and a Warning to the Elderly
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet commented on whether the visa status of the convicted individuals will lead to deportation after sentence completion, though such outcomes are routine in felony convictions involving non-citizens. Notably, the U.S. government has not disclosed the names of the educational institutions where the students were enrolled, possibly to avoid implicating the schools or deterring legitimate international education.
As these cases make headlines, the FBI and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) continue their public awareness campaigns, urging elderly Americans and their families to beware of unsolicited communications, particularly those involving threats or claims of law enforcement action.
About the author – Prakriti Jha is a student at National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, currently pursuing B.Sc. LL.B (Hons.) with a keen interest in the intersection of law and data science. She is passionate about exploring how legal frameworks adapt to the evolving challenges of technology and justice.