An Indian national, Satishkumar Rameshchandra Patel, 39, residing in the Chicago area, has been handed a 32-month federal prison sentence by U.S. District Judge Robert E. Wier for his involvement in a wire fraud conspiracy. Patel was also ordered to pay restitution amounting to $631,336.40.
According to Patel’s plea agreement, he collaborated with accomplices who targeted victims across the United States, employing deceptive tactics to swindle substantial sums of money. Often posing as government officials, Patel’s cohorts would contact victims by phone, exploiting their vulnerabilities by fabricating legal or financial predicaments. They then coerced victims, predominantly in their late 60s or 70s, into sending payments to purportedly alleviate their fictitious troubles or safeguard their savings.
The modus operandi involved victims mailing cash shipments to fictitious names and addresses in the Chicago area, Central Kentucky, and elsewhere, where Patel and his associates would intercept these packages. Victims were duped out of amounts ranging from $9,000 to a staggering $375,000.
In addition to this scheme, Patel was involved in other fraudulent activities originating from an India-based call center. This included tech support scams where victims were tricked into believing they were owed refunds by their computer security companies. Victims, under false pretenses, were instructed to withdraw these purported excess refunds in cash and mail them to designated addresses across the United States, including locations in Chicago, where Patel and his associates would collect the packages. The fabricated refunds ranged from $9,000 to $20,000.
Court records revealed that Patel’s actions victimized a total of nine individuals, culminating in the substantial restitution amount of $631,336.40.
Under federal law, Patel is mandated to serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Patel was charged alongside Kalpeshkumar Rasikbhai Patel. Law enforcement authorities encourage individuals with further information pertaining to this case to come forward by contacting them through the provided link: TIGTA IRS Scams and Fraud Hotline.
