Indian immigrants sentenced in US for defrauding elderly citizens; majority found to be illegal
In a series of convictions across several US states, 12 individuals of Gujarati origin were sentenced between June 3 and July 3, 2025, for their roles in defrauding elderly American citizens. At least eight of them were found to be undocumented immigrants. The sentences range from one year to 12 years, depending on the extent of involvement, according to a report by The Times of India.
US federal agencies, including the FBI and Homeland Security, confirmed that the accused were part of an organised fraud ring. Some posed as government officials, others laundered funds, while several acted as money mules, collecting or transporting the proceeds. These operations were often linked to Indian call centres, with networks stretching from Gujarat to multiple US cities.
As per the TOI report, authorities said the schemes specifically targeted elderly people by misleading them with threats. The fraudsters claimed that victims’ social security numbers had been compromised or that arrest warrants had been issued in their names. Under such pressure, many victims withdrew their savings, converted them into gold or cash, and handed them over for so-called “safekeeping.” “These aren’t petty frauds — they’re crimes that uproot lives,” said a US prosecutor. “Some victims lost their homes, their financial security, and peace of mind.”
The networks used call centres in Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat to contact victims. Gujarati immigrants in the US were deployed to carry out the local collection of funds. Many entered the US illegally and later became part of these scams. “They are also paying the price of entering the US illegally. Their masters lure them with a promise of settling them in the US, and once they reach there, they are used as money mules,” a central agency official said.
US law enforcement has flagged the rise of India-linked fraud rings and assured continued international cooperation. “Each of these cases reflects how vulnerable victims are misled by individuals impersonating officials from the FBI, IRS, or Treasury,” said a federal officer.
While older scams involved threats of drug-related charges, current patterns show a shift toward financial fraud aimed at elderly citizens. The impact of these schemes has triggered wider scrutiny on cross-border scam networks and undocumented migration routes being exploited for such crimes.
(With inputs from TOI)
US federal agencies, including the FBI and Homeland Security, confirmed that the accused were part of an organised fraud ring. Some posed as government officials, others laundered funds, while several acted as money mules, collecting or transporting the proceeds. These operations were often linked to Indian call centres, with networks stretching from Gujarat to multiple US cities.
As per the TOI report, authorities said the schemes specifically targeted elderly people by misleading them with threats. The fraudsters claimed that victims’ social security numbers had been compromised or that arrest warrants had been issued in their names. Under such pressure, many victims withdrew their savings, converted them into gold or cash, and handed them over for so-called “safekeeping.” “These aren’t petty frauds — they’re crimes that uproot lives,” said a US prosecutor. “Some victims lost their homes, their financial security, and peace of mind.”
The networks used call centres in Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat to contact victims. Gujarati immigrants in the US were deployed to carry out the local collection of funds. Many entered the US illegally and later became part of these scams. “They are also paying the price of entering the US illegally. Their masters lure them with a promise of settling them in the US, and once they reach there, they are used as money mules,” a central agency official said.
US law enforcement has flagged the rise of India-linked fraud rings and assured continued international cooperation. “Each of these cases reflects how vulnerable victims are misled by individuals impersonating officials from the FBI, IRS, or Treasury,” said a federal officer.
While older scams involved threats of drug-related charges, current patterns show a shift toward financial fraud aimed at elderly citizens. The impact of these schemes has triggered wider scrutiny on cross-border scam networks and undocumented migration routes being exploited for such crimes.
(With inputs from TOI)
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