A sizeable elder fraud ring has been dismantled, and one of its ringleaders, Hardik Jayantilal Patel, 37, has been sentenced to just under four years in federal prison. Patel, who resided illegally in Lexington, Kentucky, pleaded guilty last December and is now facing 46 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas announced that he will also be required to pay over $3 million in restitution to the 85 victims identified in the case.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen, who delivered the sentence, noted the extensive harm caused by Patel and his cohorts. The scheme, which ran from March to November 2019, involved scammers posing as U.S. government employees to defraud primarily elderly individuals. The scammers convinced their victims they were under investigation and could only clear their names by sending cash via mail. Patel and his team were responsible to directly pick up these packages, effectively laundering the stolen cash. As per the same announcement, Patel managed money mules or “runners” in the U.S. as part of this elaborate scam.
The fraud was perpetrated in collaboration with Sohil Usmangani Vahora of Des Plaines, Illinois, who oversaw his own team of runners. Together, they coordinated to launder proceeds of telemarketing schemes originating from call centers located in India. In total, hundreds of packages containing millions of dollars were intercepted by Patel, Vahora, and their subordinates from victims across several states.
Patel was the final individual from a group of seven to be sentenced in related cases within the Southern District of Texas. Sohil Usmangani Vahora received more than 15 years in prison and has been ordered to pay over $3.5 million in restitution. These individuals, with exception to Vahora who was a legal permanent resident, were all in the country illegally during the time of the offenses. Judge Hanen stated that the high number of victims and the substantial harm caused were key factors in deciding Patel's sentence.
As Patel awaits transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility, his conviction concludes a case involving a scam that targeted vulnerable individuals. The investigation was led by the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, with support from other federal agencies. These agencies continue to warn the public about similar scams. Patel, who is not a U.S. citizen, is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his prison sentence.
