Scammer convicted of taking more than $400K from elderly victims in Midwest

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (WFIE) - A southern Illinois jury has convicted a man from India for his involvement in an imposter scam.

Officials with the U.S. Attorney’s Office say victims across the Midwest were defrauded out of more than $400,000.

The jury convicted 44-year-old Nirav B. Patel of one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of illegal entry into the U.S. by an alien.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working aggressively to prosecute illegal immigrants who break ours laws and exploit elderly victims,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “An imposter scammer may call, text, or email to convince you they are someone in authority, but government agencies typically initiate conversation with you through the mail. Unexpected contact or demands through any other method are more than likely a scam.”

Officials say the scheme targeted elderly victims with text messages and emails warning that their Amazon accounts had been compromised.

When the victims followed up on the messages, they were redirected to coconspirators posing as federal agents who convinced the victims that they were victims of identity theft who needed to withdraw their life savings to be held in phony U.S. Treasury or FTC trust accounts for safekeeping.

In reality, the money was stolen and ultimately transferred to accounts controlled by the scammers in India.

Patel was arrested in Edwardsville in April 2023 when he attempted to pick up $35,000 in cash from a retiree.

In total, Patel personally made six trips picking up, or attempting to pick up, $403,400 from elderly victims in Indiana, Wisconsin and Illinois.

Patel could face up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 for conspiracy and each of the wire fraud counts.

His sentencing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on May 29 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.

Copyright 2025 WFIE. All rights reserved.