Latest news with #USDepartmentofJustice
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Business Standard
15 hours ago
- Business Standard
Break US law, lose student visa: USCIS warns after ₹1 cr fraud by 2 Indians
The US embassy in India on Thursday warned that holding a visa is 'a privilege, not a right' and that US authorities may revoke visas of individuals who break the law, even after the visa has been issued. The advisory, shared on the embassy's official X handle, follows the sentencing of two Indian students convicted in separate fraud cases targeting elderly Americans. 'Using illegal drugs or breaking any US laws while on a student/visitor visa can make you ineligible for future US visas. A US visa is a privilege, not a right. US visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued – and we may revoke your visa if you break the law,' the embassy posted. Indian student scam elderly Americans Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel, 20, who arrived in the US on a student visa, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison earlier this week after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), Patel played a key role in an online scam that impersonated US government officials and used phishing techniques to target elderly Americans. Victims were threatened with legal action and coerced into handing over large sums of money and gold. 'The conspiracy used various online phishing methods and impersonated US government officials, while Patel fraudulently received the cash and gold from victims, conveying a portion to co-conspirators and keeping a percentage for his own benefit,' the DOJ said. Investigators said the operation defrauded at least 25 elderly individuals, with an intended loss totalling \$2.69 million. Patel was arrested in Granite Shoals, Texas, on August 24, 2024, while attempting to collect what he believed was \$130,000. He has remained in federal custody since August 29. 'This defendant took advantage of his visa status in our country and participated in an international fraud scheme,' said US Attorney Justin Simmons. 'Patel defrauded vulnerable American citizens out of millions of dollars by impersonating government officials and preying on his victims' fears of adverse government action.' His co-defendant, Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya, also an Indian national, pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025, and is awaiting sentencing. Separate case led to 8-year sentence In a related but distinct case, another Indian student, Moinuddin Mohammed, was sentenced earlier this year to eight years in prison for a similar scam that targeted elderly US residents. Mohammed's case also involved impersonation tactics and the laundering of stolen funds through international networks. Authorities estimate the total fraud in his case approached \$6 million. All three individuals were in the US on student visas at the time of the offences. However, the Department of Justice has not disclosed the universities or institutions where they were enrolled. The US Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) continue to caution the public—particularly older adults—against responding to unsolicited messages or calls from individuals claiming to represent government bodies or law enforcement agencies. US officials have reiterated that such scams often involve threats, fake documents, and demands for money under false pretences.
Int'l Business Times
a day ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Crypto Scam Crackdown: DOJ Seizes $225M in Largest-Ever Pig Butchering Sting
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has made its biggest crypto-related seizure to date, taking control of $225 million in digital currency linked to a large-scale scam operation known as "pig butchering." Announced Wednesday, the DOJ said the money came from hundreds of victims tricked into believing they were investing in real cryptocurrency projects. In reality, they were part of a complex fraud run by criminal networks, some operating out of the Philippines. "This seizure... marks the largest cryptocurrency seizure in US Secret Service history," said Shawn Bradstreet of the Secret Service's San Francisco Field Office, CNBC reported. The DOJ explained that scammers often spend weeks or months building fake relationships with victims online before convincing them to invest large sums. These scams are often called "pig butchering" because victims are "fattened up" with fake gains before being drained of funds. Today, Matthew R. Galeotti of @DOJCrimDiv announced a civil forfeiture complaint to seize $225.3M in cryptocurrency tied to investment fraud & money laundering. The funds were traced through a sophisticated blockchain network used to scam 400+ suspected victims. — Criminal Division (@DOJCrimDiv) June 18, 2025 Bank CEO Jailed After Falling for $47M Crypto Scam More than 430 victims have been identified so far. One of them was Shan Hanes, a Kansas bank CEO who stole $47 million from his own bank to invest in a scam. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison in 2024. His lawyer later said Hanes "was the pig that was butchered," showing how these schemes can even fool experienced professionals. According to FortuneCrypto , the stolen crypto was held in Tether (USDT) and laundered through the exchange OKX. The DOJ traced the money using blockchain tools. The complaint also mentioned "scam compounds" in the Philippines—places where workers are forced to scam people online, often under terrible conditions. The DOJ praised Tether for helping freeze the funds. The money will now go through a legal process called civil forfeiture, which may help return it to victims. "These schemes harm American victims, costing them billions of dollars every year," said DOJ criminal division chief Matthew Galeotti. Crypto scams are growing fast. According to FBI data, Americans lost $9.3 billion to online scams in 2024, a 66% jump from the previous year. Many of these involved fake investment offers or sextortion tactics. Originally published on
NDTV
2 days ago
- NDTV
2 Indian Students Get Jail In Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Schemes In US
Houston: Two Indian nationals studying in the United States have been sentenced to federal prison in separate but similar fraud cases involving elaborate scams that targeted elderly Americans and resulted in millions of dollars in losses. Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel, 20, who entered the US on a student visa, was sentenced this week to 63 months (over five years) in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), Patel participated in an online phishing conspiracy that impersonated US government officials and used fear tactics to extract money and gold from senior citizens. "The conspiracy used various online phishing methods and impersonated US government officials, while Patel fraudulently received the cash and gold from victims, conveying a portion to co-conspirators and keeping a percentage for his own benefit," the DOJ said. An investigation determined the scheme defrauded at least 25 elderly victims, with an intended loss of $2,694,156. Patel was arrested on August 24, 2024, in Granite Shoals, Texas, while attempting to collect what he believed was $130,000. He has remained in federal custody since August 29. "This defendant took advantage of his visa status in our country and participated in an international fraud scheme," said US Attorney Justin Simmons, adding, "Patel defrauded vulnerable American citizens out of millions of dollars by impersonating government officials and preying on his victims' fears of adverse government action." His co-defendant, Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya, also an Indian national, pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025, and is awaiting sentencing. In a related but separate case, Moinuddin Mohammed, another Indian student, was sentenced earlier this year to eight years in prison for a similar scam that defrauded elderly Americans of nearly $6 million. His case also involved impersonation tactics and international laundering of the stolen funds. While all three were in the US on student visas, US authorities have not disclosed the educational institutions they were enrolled in. The US Justice Department and FBI continue to urge caution, particularly among seniors, against unsolicited communications from individuals claiming to represent government or law enforcement agencies.
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
2 Indian students jailed in US for over $8 million fraud targeting senior citizens
Two Indian students in the United States have been sentenced in separate yet similar cases related to elaborate scams that targeted elderly Americans and led to millions of dollars in losses, reported news agency PTI. 20-year-old Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel, who came to the US on a student visa, was sentenced to 63 months (over five years) in prison after pleading guilty to money laundering conspiracy. Patel was involved in an online phishing scam that impersonated US government officials and employed fear tactics to extort money and gold from senior citizens. 'The conspiracy used various online phishing methods and impersonated US government officials, while Patel fraudulently received the cash and gold from victims, conveying a portion to co-conspirators and keeping a percentage for his own benefit,' the report quoted the US Department of Justice (DOJ). At least 25 senior citizens lost money up to $2,694,156 due to the fraud. On August 24, 2024, Patel was arrested in Granite Shoals, Texas, while trying to collect what he thought was $130,000. Since August 29, he has been held in federal custody. 'This defendant took advantage of his visa status in our country and participated in an international fraud scheme,' the report quoted US Attorney Justin Simmons. He further added, 'Patel defrauded vulnerable American citizens out of millions of dollars by impersonating government officials and preying on his victims' fears of adverse government action.' Patel, along with Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya, another Indian national, pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025. He is waiting for his sentence. In a different but related case, Moinuddin Mohammed, another Indian student, received an eight-year prison sentence earlier this year for a similar scam that defrauded elderly Americans of nearly $6 million. Although all three held student visas in the US, the authorities have not revealed the educational institutions they attended. The US Justice Department and the FBI have cautioned people, especially senior citizens, regarding unverified communications from individuals claiming to represent government or law enforcement agencies.
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business Standard
2 Indian students sentenced in fraud schemes targeting elderly Americans
Two Indian nationals studying in the United States have been sentenced to federal prison in separate but similar fraud cases involving elaborate scams that targeted elderly Americans and resulted in millions of dollars in losses. Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel, 20, who entered the US on a student visa, was sentenced this week to 63 months (over five years) in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), Patel participated in an online phishing conspiracy that impersonated US government officials and used fear tactics to extract money and gold from senior citizens. The conspiracy used various online phishing methods and impersonated US government officials, while Patel fraudulently received the cash and gold from victims, conveying a portion to co-conspirators and keeping a percentage for his own benefit, the DOJ said. An investigation determined the scheme defrauded at least 25 elderly victims, with an intended loss of $2,694,156. Patel was arrested on August 24, 2024, in Granite Shoals, Texas, while attempting to collect what he believed was $130,000. He has remained in federal custody since August 29. This defendant took advantage of his visa status in our country and participated in an international fraud scheme, said US Attorney Justin Simmons, adding, Patel defrauded vulnerable American citizens out of millions of dollars by impersonating government officials and preying on his victims' fears of adverse government action. His co-defendant, Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya, also an Indian national, pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025, and is awaiting sentencing. In a related but separate case, Moinuddin Mohammed, another Indian student, was sentenced earlier this year to eight years in prison for a similar scam that defrauded elderly Americans of nearly $6 million. His case also involved impersonation tactics and international laundering of the stolen funds. While all three were in the US on student visas, US authorities have not disclosed the educational institutions they were enrolled in. The US Justice Department and FBI continue to urge caution, particularly among seniors, against unsolicited communications from individuals claiming to represent government or law enforcement agencies.
