AHMEDABAD: A Gujarati illegal immigrant from New Jersey, Pranav Patel, 33, was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. The sentence was pronounced by US District Judge William F. Jung. Patel pleaded guilty to the charge on December 23, 2024. The court also ordered the forfeiture of $1,791,301, which was identified as the proceeds of the offence.According to court records, Patel was part of a fraud scheme targeting elderly citizens in the United States between October and December 2023. Conspirators, operating from call centres outside the country, posed as officials from govt agencies, including the US Department of the Treasury. They falsely claimed that the victims had pending warrants or legal issues and pressured them to hand over cash and valuables.Patel acted as a money mule for the operation. He travelled from New Jersey to various locations across the east coast, including Florida, to collect money and gold from the victims. One victim told the court during sentencing that the scam forced him to sell his home and rely solely on Social Security for daily expenses.In December 2023, Patel travelled to a residence in Hillsborough County to collect what he believed was a box of gold. The operation was monitored by law enforcement. Patel was arrested shortly after picking up the box, which was part of a controlled law enforcement operation.In total, Patel was involved in laundering over $1.79 million. The scheme caused significant financial harm to the victims. The investigation was carried out by the US Secret Service along with the Pasco and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Offices. The case was prosecuted by Assistant US Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Maria Guzman.Officials said the case highlights the efforts to stop financial fraud schemes that target vulnerable citizens across the country.
