EAST ST. LOUIS – A jury has convicted Nirav B. Patel, a 44-year-old illegal immigrant from India, for his role in a fraudulent scheme that targeted elderly victims across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, defrauding them of more than $400,000. The verdict was reached after a trial that highlighted the complexities of an imposter scam that exploited vulnerable individuals.
Patel was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of illegal entry into the United States. The jury’s decision was announced in a federal court in East St. Louis.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Patel traveled to victims’ homes to collect cash and assets. He was arrested in April 2023 in Edwardsville while attempting to pick up $35,000 from a retiree. Over the course of the scheme, Patel made six trips to collect or attempt to collect a total of $403,400 from victims.
Patel’s illegal presence in the U.S. was also a focal point of the case. He reportedly entered the country near Vancouver and traveled across several states before settling in the Chicago suburbs, where he obtained an Illinois driver’s license.
U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating, “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working aggressively to prosecute illegal immigrants who break our laws and exploit elderly victims.” Crowe warned that scammers often pose as government officials and use unexpected contact methods to manipulate their victims.
The fraud scheme involved contacting elderly individuals through text messages and emails that falsely claimed their Amazon accounts had been compromised. Victims were then directed to co-conspirators posing as federal agents, who convinced them to withdraw their life savings to be held in fraudulent U.S. Treasury or FTC trust accounts. In reality, the funds were diverted to accounts controlled by the scammers in India.
Daniel Johnsen, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Chicago, called the conviction a significant victory against fraud targeting elderly individuals.
“Patel’s reprehensible actions, along with his illegal presence in our country, underscore the critical importance of our efforts to protect our communities and bring such criminals to justice,” Johnsen said.
Patel faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 for conspiracy and each wire fraud count. His sentencing is scheduled for May 29, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Edwardsville Police Department, and law enforcement in Wisconsin and Indiana. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter T. Reed and Steve Weinhoeft are handling the prosecution of the case.
