A phone scam that targeted senior citizens using bogus warrants as bait led to the arrest of a 21-year-old man, who was found with over $260,000 worth of gold bars, according to authorities. Tejaskumar Bipinbhai Patel, an Indian national who arrived in the United States in 2023 using a Green Card, was implicated as part of a larger criminal network deceiving Americans by impersonating law enforcement officials.
The scam came to light following Patel's interaction with an elderly resident from Martin County, whom he coerced into purchasing $150,000 in gold bars under the pretext that it would take care of an outstanding warrant for the resident's arrest. "The criminal organizations engaged in this type of fraud against our citizens often ship the proceeds they steal to other countries, making it impossible for detectives to recover," the Martin County Sheriff's Office disclosed in a statement obtained by FOX 29. Detectives stepped in after the scam was reported, setting a trap for Patel when he tried to extort more gold from the victim.
During the sting operation, Patel was apprehended when he arrived at the arranged drop-off point, expecting to receive more gold. Instead, he was arrested, and investigators found more than 100 gold bars in his vehicle, with an estimated value of $242,000. These bars were linked to a theft from another victim in a neighboring county. In the wake of the arrest, the Martin County Sheriff's Office seized the gold bars and took Patel into custody on multiple counts of grand theft exceeding $100,000.
In a press release, the sheriff's office highlighted the broader issue of fraud targeting the elderly, stating, "we unmasked one of the many voices that lie, steal, and victimize innocent US citizens," according to FOX 29. The office also mentioned its ongoing cooperation with state and federal law enforcement agencies on the case, as reported by CBS12. Patel now faces legal repercussions for his involvement in the sophisticated scamming operation, which manipulated victims' fears of legal prosecution to deceive them out of substantial amounts of money.
