A federal jury in Gainesville, Florida, has found Atharva Shailesh Sathawane, 22, of India, guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin praised the work of law enforcement, saying the prosecution held Sathawane accountable for financially exploiting elderly victims.
The scheme targeted an 83-year-old man, who was contacted by a scammer claiming that money had been sent to his PayPal account. The scammer instructed the victim to repay the funds, first in cash, then in Bitcoin, and eventually in gold. The victim purchased 68 gold coins valued at $198,560, which Sathawane collected as a courier.
Authorities say Sathawane admitted to picking up packages containing gold for about a month, sending photos of the contents to his employers, and receiving $800–$1,200 per pickup. He reportedly delivered packages to locations in Florida, including Gainesville and Clearwater, and coordinated with scammers in India and Chicago.
A subsequent search of Sathawane’s phone revealed his participation in over 30 transactions across multiple states, defrauding numerous elderly Americans out of substantial sums, in some cases their entire life savings.
Sathawane faces up to 20 years in prison for each count. The case was investigated by the Gainesville Police Department, FBI, and IRS-Criminal Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hapner.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2025, at the U.S. Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief U.S. District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
