Indian Student Receives 97-Month Prison Sentence for Elaborate Fraud Scheme
A 21-year-old Indian student studying in the United States has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for his role in an extensive money laundering conspiracy that specifically targeted elderly victims. Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya must also pay $2,515,780 in restitution to the victims he defrauded through an elaborate scam operation.
How the Elaborate Scam Operated
Mangukiya and his Indian co-conspirator, Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel, systematically identified elderly individuals whom they contacted by telephone while pretending to be government officials. The fraudsters informed their victims that they needed to make deposits of cash, gold, or other valuable items to resolve fictitious investigations or prevent financial losses.
The scheme involved coordinated pickups where couriers would collect the deposits either directly from victims' homes or from parking lots of local businesses. In one particularly disturbing case, the conspirators contacted an elderly woman while posing as representatives from the Amazon fraud department.
They falsely claimed that her social security number had been stolen and multiple bank accounts had been opened in her name for money laundering purposes. The terrified woman was then pressured into paying $30,000 to clear her name from the completely fabricated scam allegations.
Investigation Reveals Extensive Criminal Network
The elaborate conspiracy began unraveling when Patel was arrested in June and law enforcement officials searched his phones. The examination revealed extensive messaging between Patel and Mangukiya, along with two other individuals identified only as "Hunter" and "Master" in court documents.
Mangukiya was subsequently arrested at his residence in New Jersey on December 5, 2024. During the execution of a search warrant at his home, federal agents discovered compelling evidence including a printer specifically used for creating fake identification documents and $73,422.96 in cash.
\nConfessions and Co-conspirator Sentencing
According to Justice Department documents, Mangukiya admitted to receiving 2% of all fraud proceeds he managed to collect through the criminal operation. He also confessed that he had personally recruited Patel to work as a courier in their scheme and confirmed they were collaborating with the mysterious "Hunter" and "Master" figures.
Both defendants eventually pleaded guilty to the fraud charges. Patel received his sentence in June, being ordered to serve 63 months in prison for his participation in the criminal conspiracy that preyed on vulnerable elderly citizens.
The case highlights growing concerns about international fraud networks targeting elderly populations across the United States, with perpetrators often using sophisticated social engineering tactics to exploit victims' fears about government investigations and financial security.
