A 22-year-old Bridgeport man, Kush Patel, has been charged with fraud after tricking an elderly Rhode Island man into giving up hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold. Patel appeared in federal court on September 23, facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island.
The case involved a 72-year-old man who was deceived by an online scam. According to officials, the man was misled by a pop-up message claiming his computer had a virus, and he was falsely told that his identity was compromised in connection with drug trafficking, money laundering, and child pornography.
Believing the scam, the victim was directed to speak to a supposed Federal Trade Commission (FTC) agent. The fake agent convinced the man that his assets needed to be frozen and that he could resolve the issue privately by purchasing gold bullion. Over the next several weeks, the man made three large purchases from a New York gold dealer—$96,000, $101,000, and $165,000—under the scammer’s instructions.
The first two shipments were picked up by unknown co-conspirators, but the third package was intercepted by law enforcement. Working with investigators, the victim substituted the gold’s contents and delivered it to Patel in a monitored exchange in a restaurant parking lot. Patel was arrested shortly after the delivery during a traffic stop.
The scheme highlighted the growing dangers of online scams targeting vulnerable individuals, especially the elderly, and the coordinated efforts of law enforcement to bring the fraudsters to justice.