RAPID CITY, S.D. – Two individuals accused of defrauding an elderly Rapid City woman out of more than $100,000 faced federal court this week.
A jury found 33-year-old Abdul Waheed Mohammed guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, though he was acquitted of the direct charge of wire fraud.
According to the indictment, Mohammed and 46-year-old Shalinee Vyas persuaded the victim to hand over $110,000 in cash and gold in 2023, claiming it would help her avoid arrest. Mohammed was later apprehended while attempting to collect another $95,000 in gold, where law enforcement intervened. He faces up to 20 years in prison upon sentencing.
Shalinee Vyas was sentenced on Thursday to 63 months in federal prison by Judge Camela Theeler, followed by three years of supervised release. Vyas had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in July. In her plea statement, she admitted to instructing Mohammed on how to handle the money and gold involved in the scheme.
