Pranav Patel ordered to forfeit $1.79 million after pleading guilty to laundering proceeds from overseas scam targeting senior citizens
An Indian-origin man has been sentenced to six years and three months in prison in the United States for his role in a $2 million fraud scheme that exploited senior citizens through overseas call centres, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
Pranav Patel acted as a ‘money mule’ in the multi-state operation, collecting gold and cash from elderly victims who were falsely told they faced arrest.
The US District Court in Florida sentenced 33-year-old Pranav Patel after he pleaded guilty in December 2024 to money laundering charges. In addition to the 75-month prison term, the court ordered him to forfeit $1,791,301, the full amount he helped launder.
Court records show that between October and December 2023, Patel collaborated with fraudsters based in overseas call centres. These scammers impersonated US Treasury officials, telling elderly victims there were warrants for their arrest or persuading them to hand over money and gold for safekeeping.
He was arrested in Hillsborough County while trying to collect a package he believed contained gold.
As a courier in the operation, Patel travelled from New Jersey to multiple East Coast states, including Florida, to collect valuables from victims. His arrest came while he was under law enforcement surveillance during an attempted pickup in December 2023.
One elderly victim testified during sentencing that he was forced to sell his house and rely solely on Social Security after falling for the scam.
“Preying on vulnerable, unsuspecting elderly victims to rob them of their hard-earned money is despicable,” said Robert Engel, US Secret Service Special Agent in Charge of the Tampa Field Office. He commended law enforcement for bringing Patel to justice.
The case was jointly investigated by the US Secret Service, Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant US Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Maria Guzman leading the prosecution.
