Wilmington, Del. (KWCH) – Rakeshkumar Patel, a 36-year-old man from Flushing, New York, pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges for his involvement in a nationwide elder fraud scheme. The plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews.
Between May 2023 and May 2024, Patel, who was in the U.S. illegally, and his co-conspirators defrauded elderly victims across Delaware and other states, swindling them out of more than $2.15 million. The scam involved fraudsters impersonating federal agents and convincing victims that their identities had been compromised and were part of a federal investigation.
To “assist” in the investigation, victims were told to liquidate their life savings and convert the money into cash or gold bars. They were then instructed to hand over the cash or gold to couriers, like Patel, who posed as federal agents and collected the items from victims’ homes or public locations.
Patel now faces a prison sentence of over five years when sentenced, as determined by U.S. District Judge Andrews. The court will consider sentencing guidelines and other factors before determining the final sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Hanson emphasized the Department of Justice’s commitment to protecting the elderly from fraud, urging the public to stay vigilant and report potential fraud.
“This crime is devastating for the victims, many of whom face severe financial and emotional distress,” said Bill DelBagno, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Baltimore Division. The FBI, in partnership with law enforcement, continues to combat these types of scams.
